In a recent revelation of Mundo Deportivo, it has been revealed that the captain of Bayern Munich, Joshua Kimmich, was very close to joining Barcelona.
This story goes back to July 2023, during the preseason period. At that time, the former manager of Barcelona, Xavi, together with director Mateu Alemany, anxiously awaited Kimmich’s decision to join the club.
The German midfielder had given a positive response, but Barcelona fought to ensure the necessary funds to end the agreement.
During that summer, Xavi’s main priority was to replace the Sergio Busquets, and Kimmich was at the top of the list. The club also considered Martin Zubimendi, but Kimmich was the first option.
What really happened?
The negotiations with the Bayern player were progressing well, and things even progressed on a personal level, with Xavi and Kimmich exchanging congratulations for their recent wins of the League.
A formal offer was made to Kimmich, and for July 29, Barcelona was waiting for the final confirmation of the player.
Meanwhile, Barcelona won his preseason match against Real Madrid in Dallas. Xavi and Alemany were hope that Kimmich would accept their offer.
However, the agreement began to crumble when the funds necessary for the transfer did not arrive on time.
In the end, Barcelona was forced to change his plans at the last minute of the transfer window, since Xavi had to make a difficult decision to give Eric García to Girona and sign Oriol Romeu as a replacement for Busquets.
Why did it happen?
Barcelona had to trust Bridgeburg Invest money for the operation, but due to the complexities of international transfers, money had not been transferred as expected.
The days passed, and there were excuses about delays, but the funds were simply not available. Xavi, who had been working hard to bring Kimmich to Barcelona, stayed to face the disappointment of the situation.
Now, only a few months later, it has been reported that Kimmich is in negotiations with Real Madrid. His contract with Bayern Munich ends in June, which means that he could join Madrid for free.
This transfer would fill a significant void for Madrid, especially when they seek to replace Toni Kroos.