Barcelona transfer news: President Bartomeu reveals club are after two signings from La Liga rivals

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has revealed the club are looking to make two signings from La Liga during the summer transfer window. The club chief made the revelation as part of an informal conversation during his holidays.

The Copa del Rey and La Liga champions have earmarked the signing of a centre-back to provide competition for Javier Mascherano and a forward to serve as back-up to the MSN trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar as the main priorities ahead of next season. The club have also been linked with a number of full-backs after Dani Alves decided to join Juventus, as well as the signing of a young defender following the departure of Marc Bartra to Borussia Dortmund.

Club technical secretary Robert Fernandez has also confirmed Denis Suarez is on his way back to the club following an impressive spell at Villarreal, with Barcelona activating a €3.5m (£2.9m, $3.8m) buy-back clause to bring him to the Nou Camp.

If Bartomeu's words regarding La Liga signings come true, Sevilla star Kevin Gameiro, Atletico Madrid's Luciano Vietto and Las Palmas starlet Mauricio Lemos have all been linked with the club in recent times.

Bartomeu revealed his plans in a conversation with two executives from SD Formentera, a third-division local side, during his holidays in the Balearics.

"He [Bartomeu] said that Barça were tracking the domestic market to try and close a couple of signings," one of the executives said to futbolpitiuso.com. "We talked a little about football and he congratulated our record for Formentera in recent seasons."

Last summer Barcelona's only two significant additions were from the domestic market, in the shape of Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal from Atletico Madrid and Sevilla, respectively.