Barcelona’s Bids For Max Aarons Rejected Amid Messi, Semedo Sagas

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Barcelona’s Bids For Max Aarons Rejected Amid Messi, Semedo Sagas

Barcelona reportedly had two bids for right-back Max Aarons rejected by Norwich City as they seek a replacement for Nelson Semedo.

ESPN’s Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens reported on Saturday that Semedo is nearing an agreement with a Premier League side that could see him leave the Camp Nou within a week. In turn, Barca are amplifying their efforts to fill the potential void, though they face competition from Bayern Munich for Aarons.

Barcelona made an initial bid of around €20 million to take Aarons on loan for the 2020-21 season with the option to make it a full transfer next season, per ESPN. That proposal, along with a second, was rejected, but the La Liga club remains keen on the England under-21 international.

The Blaugrana are seeking more than €30 million to finalize a move involving Semedo, and they are planning to reinvest a sizable portion of that money to sign his replacement, according to ESPN. They are also interested in Ajax right-back Sergino Dest, a United States international.

Aarons broke into Norwich’s first team from the club’s youth academy in 2018. He’s immediately become a stalwart along the back line, making 43 appearances across all competitions during the 2018-19 term and 40 more last season as the Canaries competed in the Premier League.

The 20-year-old was linked to Spurs during the winter transfer window, but he told reporters in January the speculation about his future wasn’t a major focus:

“It is what happens when the window is open. That stuff is dealt with by the club and my agent. My agent just tells me and the manager just tells me to stick to my football and come in and work as hard as I can and play at the weekend.

“People say it, but it is generally true: I am just focused on my football turning up for each game and being 100 percent ready and working as hard as I can in training to improve. It is something I don’t look at. But it is one of those things that happens when the window is open.”

Aarons’ representatives and Barcelona have already reached an agreement on personal terms, so there shouldn’t be any hurdles if the clubs can come to terms on a transfer fee, per ESPN.

It’s the latest transfer saga in a drama-filled offseason for Barca, highlighted by Lionel Messi’s attempt to secure a move before announcing he would remain with the Spanish giants for the 2020-21 season.

Barcelona are set to open their La Liga campaign on Sept. 27 against Villarreal.