Despite a report from Sunday afternoon claiming that an agreement was reached for Nélson Semedo’s move to Turin, sources assure that is not the case.
Barcelona’s Nélson Semedo has been a much talked about subject. Since the player’s arrival from Benfica in 2017, he did not manage to be an undisputed starter at the club. Sergi Roberto was considered a make-shift right-back for the Catalans, and his good performances saw him compete with Semedo for the starting spot. Semedo managed to solidify his place in the starting lineup this season, but the pandemic hit not too long after.
While the club considered him a player they definitely wanted to keep, reports have suggested otherwise in recent weeks.
The player could soon see a change of scenery, with several clubs reportedly interested, such as Manchester City and Juventus.
Especially the latter is a club he has been heavily linked to in recent days. Barcelona are keen on bringing in Miralem Pjanić, and while Arthur is a player much liked by the Italians, the Brazilian midfielder quickly shot down the rumors, firmly expressing his desire to stay in Catalonia.
The Bosnian midfielder has given the Catalans his ‘go-ahead’, and Semedo had since reportedly agreed to a move to Turin, although an official agreement was yet to be reached.
However, Sunday afternoon, the tone shifted.
A report from the Spanish news outlet SPORT stated that an agreement had been reached between the clubs. The agreement would include Miralem Pjanic, Mattia De Sciglio as well as 25 million euros sent to Barcelona, who in return would send Semedo to Turin.
However, sources from Barcelona have since denied the existence of an agreement between the two clubs over a transfer for Nélson Semedo.
According to Radio Catalunya, sources assure the Catalan news outlet that an agreement in principle has not been reached for a move of the Portuguese defender to Turin. In fact, the players the club are using to negotiate with Juventus are Ivan Rakitic and Jean-Clair Todibo. On the other end of the table, the Italians are mentioning the names of Daniele Rugani and Miralem Pjanić.
Semedo’s current contract with Barcelona runs out in 2022. However, the club failing to agree on terms with the player and his agent, Jorge Mendes, over a renewal, has reportedly pushed the club towards opening the door for his departure.
