Barcelona have made an informal enquiry about Galatasaray attacking midfielder Aleksey Batrakov, according to an exclusive report from Barca Universal. The Catalan club asked for information to assess the 21-year-old ahead of the UEFA Champions League meeting between the two sides in Istanbul.
Barcelona’s interest remains at a preliminary stage. Club officials believe their squad is already well covered in attacking midfield, and they have not taken concrete steps toward a formal bid for the Russian international.
Batrakov reportedly dreams of playing for Barcelona one day and would welcome a move to Spain in the future. Whether that ambition turns into a transfer offer will depend on how Barcelona manage their current midfield options.
How Dani Olmo’s Future Affects Barcelona’s Plans
Batrakov’s name has come up while Dani Olmo is attracting reported interest from Bayern Munich. Olmo remains committed to Barcelona and a departure looks unlikely right now, though the Spain international wants more consistent playing time as he competes with Fermin Lopez for the starting attacking midfield role.
Keeping Olmo, Lopez, and Batrakov in the same squad would create a crowded competition for minutes in the same position. Because of that, Barcelona’s current enquiry is seen as routine scouting of a well-regarded young player rather than the start of active transfer negotiations. That stance could change if Bayern Munich increase their pursuit of Olmo and the midfielder reconsiders his role at the club.
Who Is Aleksey Batrakov?
Batrakov joined Galatasaray from Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow earlier this summer for a reported fee of €25 million. Before facing Barcelona, the 21-year-old had made six appearances for the Turkish club across all competitions and registered two assists.
Batrakov Scores Against Barcelona in Champions League Defeat
The midfielder gave Barcelona a direct look at his ability during their Champions League clash at RAMS Park. Batrakov opened the scoring for Galatasaray in the 28th minute, finishing a rapid counterattack with a deflected right-footed shot from the center of the box after a pass from Rafael Leao.
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Barcelona responded through the two midfielders currently competing for the role Batrakov plays. Dani Olmo set up Joao Cancelo for the equalizer in the 43rd minute, and Fermin Lopez headed in a Lamine Yamal corner in the 50th minute to put the visitors ahead.
Yamal added a second assist three minutes later to set up Anthony Gordon, before Karim Adeyemi scored from a Gabriel Jesus pass in the 65th minute to seal a 4-1 victory for Hansi Flick’s side. Batrakov played 58 minutes before being substituted, taking his tally for Galatasaray to one goal and two assists in seven appearances.
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