The Ivorian has jumped to the front of the Catalan club’s wish list after they hit road blocks in pursuing the Liverpool and Dortmund stars
Barcelona are targeting Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri in a €40 million deal as the club’s pursuit of Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele goes cold.
Goal understands that Seri and Nice have an agreement in place for the Ivorian to be sold if any club makes a bid of €40m.
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Barcelona have now made the 26-year-old their main target, as they believe they can sign the midfielder if they activate the valuation clause agreed between Seri and Nice.
The Catalans have yet to make a formal approach, however.
“Nobody from Barcelona has contacted Nice to discuss Seri’s future,” Nice president Jean-Pierre Rivere told Cadena SER on Saturday.
The potential arrival of Seri would not stop Barcelona from pursuing Coutinho and Dembele, who have been identified as the prime targets to replace new PSG man Neymar.
But Barca have put Seri to the forefront for now, as the club have been discouraged by Borussia Dortmund’s high asking price for Dembele and Liverpool’s unwillingness to negotiate at all for Coutinho.
Seri impressed with seven goals and nine assists in all competitions last season, helping Nice reach the Champions League with a third-place finish in Ligue 1.