The Fans Football Blog3

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain and Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola will meet next week to talk about the squad for the 2009-2010 season.

They will make a general analysis of the renewal negotiations, the positions that should be strengthened and the player's market. Barcelona wants to be ready and have clear ideas when the transfer market will start to move in the spring of 2009.

The idea is that there will only be few transfers, probably two or three, to fill up concrete needs. The club doesn't plan to transfer big star players and unless one of the current key players unexpectedly leaves next summer, Barcelona will invest less than this year.

In principle, Barcelona plans to buy players for three positions: a goalkeeper, a left back defender and a left winger. Barcelona wants to buy a goalkeeper who can compete with Valdés and with Sylvinho most probably leaving and Guardiola having some doubts on Abidal, a new left back seems to be a certainty.

Because neither Henry or Iniesta are natural wingers, Barcelona also wants to sign a
left winger. Valencia left winger and Spanish international David Silva (22), whom Barcelona already tried to sign last summer (read more here), and Arsenal left winger and Dutch international Robin van Persie (25) are seen as the main candidates.

Read more:
Van Persie to replace Henry next summer
Barcelona keeps on scouting Diego Lopez
Barcelona is still preferred destination for Silva