£30m defender addresses Barcelona transfer talk, £12.8m exit for another player imminent

Barcelona have identified Atalanta's Robin Gosens as a potential signing to compete with veteran left-back Jordi Alba for a starting spot next season. The Germany international is viewed as an ideal replacement for Junior Firpo, who is close to sealing a move to Leeds United in England.

Gosens starred for Germany at the ongoing European Championship before they were knocked out by England in the round of 16. The 27-year-old's impressive showing with the national team has turned Barcelona's head with the Catalan club making contact with the Serie A side about a move for the €35 million (£30m) rated defender.

The German defender had his most prolific season at club level netting 11 goals and assisting a further six in 32 games. He helped Atlanta finish in third place in the league just a point behind second placed AC Milan.

Gosens is relatively calm about his future with the defender not in a rush to complete a move this summer. But the Serie A star refused to commit his future to Atalanta, admitting that he will consider offers if it furthers his football development.

The Serie A defender has now once again opened up about his future after being linked to Barcelona. He explained that he had asked his father, who is also his agent, to avoid speaking about it until after his participation with Germany at the Euros.

"We'll have a look now. Already during the European Championship I told my dad that he should just leave me alone with the topic," Gosens said, as quoted on German publication Sport 1. "Now I'm back home again, I'll talk to him and see if something is on the program."

"I'm not lying when I say that I don't know anything about it at the moment. My entire focus was on the Euros. When something happens, let's see."

There are no doubts that Barcelona need to sign a left-back this summer. Firpo, who played second fiddle to Alba last season, is currently in England finalising his move to the Elland Road club. They are set to pay Barcelona €15 million (£12.8m) plus add-ons to sign the Santo Domingo-born defender.

However, Barcelona will not have it easy to land Gosens this summer. Apart from the club's financial struggles, they will also face competition from clubs in England and Italy, who have also registered their interest in the German defender.