Southampton star Oriol Romeu €15m target for Barcelona

Barcelona are considering a move in signing Southampton midfielder Oriol Romeu in the summer transfer window.

According to the Spanish publication Marca, the Catalan club's technical Secretariat Robert Fernandez is looking to bolster the squad for the next season and has identified three to four positions that need strengthening.

One of them is in the central midfield position and the La Liga giants currently have the services of Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets in that position as the first choice players. The report claims Barcelona are looking to find reliable alternatives for the Spain international duo and have identified Romeu has emerged as a target.

The 25-year-old came up through the ranks of Barcelona's youth system and was promoted to Barcelona B team in 2008. He failed to break his way into the first team and made a switch to Chelsea in 2011.

Romeu struggled at Stamford Bridge and was sent on loan to get regular playing time. He finally left the Blues and signed for the Saints in 2015. The midfielder improved under Ronald Koeman's guidance and has continued to be a key player under Claude Puel.

His form saw him being rewarded with a new deal in January, which will keep him at St Mary's Stadium until 2021. The Spaniard was also voted as the Fans' and the Players' Player of the Year awards at Southampton.

Barcelona are keen on re-signing Romeu after the end of the season as they believe he can be a reliable backup for Iniesta and Busquets in the centre of the pitch. The former turned 33 and has a few years of top flight football left under his belt.

Had the Camp Nou outfit made an approach for their former midfielder two years ago, he would have cost them €7m (£5.9, $7.6m). However, Barcelona will have to spend around €15m (£12.7m, $16.3m) to acquire Southampton star's signature in the summer.

Earlier in April, Romeu told IBTimes UK that he is happy at Southampton and will not leave his current employers for the big clubs for the "sake of it".

"I've already been at Chelsea and Barcelona. I've been in big clubs before and being in a big club without having the possibility to play is not what one wants," Romeu told IBTimes UK.

"Sometimes you can think: 'I would like go to this team but depending in which conditions'. When you are happy, as I am now at Southampton, you value it and I do not want to lose just for the sake of it."