L’Équipe report that FC Barcelona have engaged in negotiations with Rennes right-back Hamari Traoré about an improbable summer transfer move.
The inability to qualify Jules Koundé for league matches owing the LaLiga salary cap, who they signed in late July for €50m, could have an unintended positive impact on the future of 30-year-old Hamari Traoré.
Barcelona are looking for an additional right-sided defender to be able to provide cover for Ronald Araujo. The Malian international and Rennes right-back is ticking a lot of boxes for the Catalan giants in their search – with just 1 year remaining on his current contract, a deal should occur at around the €3m mark.
As a result, Traoré would be able to be registered. Rennes are willing to allow Traoré to depart and have a gentlemen’s agreement for that to occur. He is currently earning €2m a year gross.
SRFC are also confident about their successor in this position, Lorenz Assignon, a 22-year-old who is under contract until June 2025. If Rennes accept to sell, they will seek to sign FC Metz full-back Fabien Centonze. In any case, the Brittany side do not intend to stand in the way of a deal.
After a few near-misses in terms of deals this summer, notably following contacts with Marseille, Traoré had been considering the merits of a move to the Middle East.
Talks are currently on between all the parties, and in 48 hours are likely to result in the first formal proposal being submitted.
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An eventual qualification of Koundé in the Barcelona squad is not likely to result in the Catalan club changing their minds about a deal with Traoré at this stage.