Bundesliga star dreams of Barcelona: Deco meets his agent
The Catalan club is looking to strengthen its defence
French defender Castello Lukeba has placed Barcelona among his preferred destinations, and the RB Leipzig man considers a move to the Blaugrana one of his biggest dreams for the next stage of his career, according to a press report.
The 23-year-old is preparing to leave Leipzig next summer. He feels the time has come to join one of Europe's major clubs, and he also wants his chance to represent the senior French national team.
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Lukeba recently switched agencies, leaving "BS Group International" and joining "Excellence Sport Nation", which also represents Barcelona's Jules Koundé. The move aims to speed up his departure from the German club after his exit stalled last summer.
According to "Sky Germany", the release clause in the player's contract will drop from 80 to 65 million euros in the summer of 2027, which could ease his departure.
Leipzig also need to raise more than 100 million euros from player sales next summer. That figure may climb if they miss out on the Champions League, which makes Lukeba one of the leading candidates to leave.
Deco is already on the move
Catalan newspaper "Sport" revealed that Lukeba's new representative met Deco, Barcelona's sporting director, at the end of last October. The pair discussed a possible move for the French defender, the financial details and the various formulas that could complete the deal.
Both the sporting management and coach Hansi Flick admire Lukeba, thanks to his abilities as a left-sided defender, his young age and his skill at building play from the back. Those qualities fit Barcelona's defensive needs perfectly.
Barça could lean on their good relations with Leipzig after the Dani Olmo deal, as the German club may show flexibility over the payment method, provided a financial agreement satisfactory to all parties is reached.
