Barcelona

Happy birthday, Robert Lewandowski. Barcelona swept aside Real Sociedad with a stunning display of attacking prowess, and the Polish striker bagged a brace.

Just two minutes later, Ansu Fati was at it again, passing to Lewandowski for the striker to score his second. He also claimed a jaw dropping assist for Ansu Fati to score his goal, a move that brought me jumping out of my seat. Barcelona swept aside Real Sociedad with a stunning display of attacking prowess, and the Polish striker bagged a brace on his 34th birthday.

Barcelona are in a race against time to offload some of the club's fringe players before the summer transfer window shuts in a few days; Samuel Umtiti, ...

[Jules Koundé saga continues to play out](https://sportsbrief.com/football/barcelona/22382-xavi-extremely-disappointed-by-fc-barcelonas-inability-register-signing-jules-kounde/#:~:text=frustrated%20at%20having%20to%20sit%20on%20the%20sidelines%2C%20and%20so%20is%20Barca) as the end of the transfer window draws closer. Barcelona are now desperate to sell Frenkie de Jong and five other first-team squad players as they scramble to raise funds before the end of the transfer window, Barcelona have just 9 days to the end of the summer transfer window to register Jules Kounde and will be desperate to offload all players to be able to raise the funds for the French defender’s registration.

After Barcelona's thrilling 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad on Sunday evening Pete Sharland gets in touch with Jorge Ordas from Eurosport Spain.

“Without a doubt it is one of the plays that decides the game,” Ordas replies. “But, behind it, there is a gesture that did not sit well with the club. The decision looked to pay off pretty much straight away as it was his assist for Lewandowski’s blistering opener. But it was Ansu Fati coming off the bench who really caught our eyes. This performance looked a lot more like what people expected when they saw Barca’s aggressive spending in the window. There was certainly a lot of schadenfreude last weekend when Barca couldn’t get past Rayo despite all the millions they had spent, especially with Jules Kounde still unable to be registered.

Negotiations for Marcos Alonso have stalled. Barcelona have not taken the final step to close the deal and Chelsea could decide to end the operation because ...

[Marcos Alonso](https://www.besoccer.com/player/m-alonso-33522) has a promise from Barcelona that they will eventually sign him. [Chelsea](https://www.besoccer.com/team/chelsea-fc) have already warned them that it is now or never. [La LigaStar+,SKY Sports,LaLiga TV Bar,DAZN,ESPN 3ElcheAlmería22 Aug 2022](https://www.besoccer.com/match/elche/almeria/202349317) UtdLiverpool22 Aug 2022](https://www.besoccer.com/match/manchester-united-fc/liverpool/202318249) [La LigaStar+,SKY Sports,LaLiga TV Bar,LaLiga por M+,LaLiga 1 por M+GironaGetafe22 Aug 2022](https://www.besoccer.com/match/girona-fc/getafe/202349315) The Spaniards want Marcos Alonso, but they will not be rushed.

Xavi's Barcelona side are 'desperate to offload players' as they look to raise the '£17 million needed to register new signing Jules Kounde'.

He has trained very well, I see him in good spirits, but we need to sell players to be able to register him.' leaving them to offload Aubameyang, Depay, Umtiti, Dest and Braithwaite before the window shuts Catalans STILL 'need to bring in £17m before they can register Jules Kounde'...

Robert Lewandowski put Barca ahead inside 50 seconds before Alexander Isak levelled for La Real in San Sebastian.

Earlier, Villarreal moved to the top of the fledgling table as second-half goals from Yeremy Pino and Gerard Moreno secured a 2-0 victory at Atletico. Sociedad were proving a tough nut to crack for Barca, but the game changed when Fati was sent on in the 64th minute. BARCELONA - Robert Lewandowski got off the mark for Barcelona with a double as Ansu Fati starred as a substitute in a 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad on Sunday, while Villarreal won at Atletico Madrid.

Robert Lewandowski struck twice as Barcelona ran out 4-1 winners at Real Sociedad as the Catalan side picked up their first La Liga win of the season.

Ansu Fati, Raphinha, and Ousmane Dembele also looked sharp as Barça cruised to a 1-4 win at the Anoeta. While Auba openly said he was fine with the competition ...

PETE JENSON IN SPAIN: Lewandowski needed just 45 seconds to score on his 34th birthday but it was the magic of 19-year-old Ansu Fati that powered Barcelona ...

Injuries have slowed his young career down but he is up and running once more and he was too much for Real Sociedad. Lewandowski repaid Fati for the fourth. Lewandowski was keen to finish what he started and he scored from close range after a fine close-passing move from Barcelona.

Barcelona came back after a turbulent first half to blow away their opposition in the second period on Sunday night. Three goals within twenty minutes ...

Keeping that in mind, Xavi’s task will now be to enhance the chemistry and build a team. Meanwhile, Dembele, too, was forced to drop back and win the ball in the absence of a full-back. The youngster provides something special to the Catalan attack, a presence that can only be felt but not described. The result takes Barcelona to fifth place on the league standings with four points in two games. The performance lacked coherence and teamwork, but individual brilliance was enough to conjure a win. Barcelona came back after a turbulent first half to blow away their opposition in the second period on Sunday night.

Sportsmail reported on Friday the Blues were optimistic of making a deal happen for the veteran striker, and Sky Sports claim Thomas Tuchel's side are in ...

The Blues have been strongly linked with a deal for former Arsenal forward Aubameyang as they look to strengthen their attacking options. Related articles.

Chelsea have agreed personal terms with Aubameyang but are not close to making a bid in the region of Barca’s asking price. We are very happy about the performance still but we are still active in the market and know what can be possible. Neither team wants to enter the final week of the window with the situation still unknown. You need players who challenge for their place, their minutes and push each other to their highest level. The 33-year-old is of interest to Chelsea, who need a new striker after letting Romelu Lukaku rejoin Inter Milan on loan. The Blues have been strongly linked with a deal for former Arsenal forward Aubameyang as they look to strengthen their attacking options.

According to Spanish publication Sport, Barcelona transfer chief Mateu Alemany is yet to create space in the club's salary bill for Alonso, even though the ...

Meanwhile, Chelsea have been told to pay the £25m fee Barcelona are after for Aubameyang in full, with Alonso set to be a separate transaction. Alonso joined Chelsea from Fiorentina six years ago and has gone on to bag 29 goals and 23 assists in 212 appearances for the west Londoners. Alonso has waited all summer to make his move to Barcelona a reality after asking Chelsea chiefs to sanction a move away from Stamford Bridge.

Discussions between Chelsea and Barcelona are ongoing and there is a willingness from both clubs to get a deal done; the deal under discussion is thought to ...

You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News. Negotiations between Chelsea and Barcelona have been ongoing for the past few days and there is an agreement in place between Chelsea and Aubameyang. Discussions between Chelsea and Barcelona are ongoing and there is a willingness from both clubs to get a deal done; the deal under discussion is thought to be worth between £15m and £25m; one source has told Sky Sports News an agreement is close

It is claimed that Barcelona are demanding €25-30 million for the 33-year-old striker. However, Chelsea are trying to force Marcos Alonso into the operation and ...

So, a move to Chelsea might not be as close as it is being reported. However, the Catalan giants have no interest in such an operation as they want the deals to be two separate transactions. However, the report does add that the transfer is still not a lock-in.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has become a hot topic in the transfer market over the past few weeks, especially with Chelsea running a late operation to sign ...

Aubameyang was among the players in contention to leave Camp Nou by the end of the month. With that in mind, the club are actively looking to offload other fringe players in the team. The Dutchman is reportedly closing in on a move to Juventus, with his representatives seeking an agreement over personal terms in Turin.

While Robert Lewandowski scored a brace against Los Txuri Urdin, one player who made a notable impact on the proceedings was Ansu Fati, scoring a goal and ...

They have no intention to replicate the mistake from last year. As things stand, the forward is fit enough to start in the upcoming game against Real Valladolid. [Radio Catalunya](https://twitter.com/totcosta/status/1561767230404173825), the attacker is on the verge of returning to his full fitness and could soon be in contention to start.

Manchester City's hopes of keeping Bernardo Silva at the club are growing stronger as the end of the transfer window approaches, and Barcelona now feel time ...

Bernardo Silva showed no signs of distraction yesterday, and he scored a goal and contributed to an assist on the way to a 3-3 draw for Manchester City. Barcelona may be able to afford the fee if Frenkie De Jong leaves the club, but that is also looking increasingly unlikely. [ Jose Alvarez](https://twitter.com/10JoseAlvarez), Barcelona feel time is running out in their pursuit of Bernardo Silva.

It's critical Xavi gets it right for Barcelona on the pitch, and let's just say he did it this weekend. PLUS: talking points galore around Europe.

But it looks like Napoli have managed to reload on the fly between Kvaratskhelia, Gio Simeone and [Giacomo Raspadori](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/271679/Giacomo-Raspadori) up front and Leo Ostigaard and Min-Jae Kim at the back, while also cutting the wage bill and bringing in some much needed transfer funds. [Sadio Mane](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/169797/Sadio-Mané) who is, you know, pretty good. From Atletico's point of view, there were some disappointing individual performances (Joao Felix, [Marcos Llorente](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/206474/Marcos-Llorente) and [Nahuel Molina](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/164826/Nahuel-Molina), with his silly red card, above all) and the result obviously stings (Villarreal are a direct opponent in the race for top four), but there were also encouraging signs that the back three can hold up. [Erling Haaland](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/253989/Erling-Haaland) hit the post and forced a tremendous one-on-one save from the excellent [Nick Pope](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/161715/Nick-Pope) before he scored to make it 2-1. [Monza](/soccer/team?id=4007), and you expect Neapolitan schoolchildren to learn both the pronunciation and the spelling of his name. Martin Odegaard, who scored twice, has found his feet and [Oleksandr Zinchenko](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/217482/Oleksandr-Zinchenko), playing fullback the Pep Guardiola way -- coming inside and playmaking -- offers a different dimension entirely. And if Leeds' forwards weren't running north-south at every occasion, [Kalidou Koulibaly](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/150312/Kalidou-Koulibaly) likely wouldn't have gotten two yellow cards for pulling back opponents. Stones didn't have a great game and [Ruben Dias](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/234878/Rúben-Dias) has been inconsistent in recent weeks. [Manchester City](/soccer/team?id=382) were 3-1 down against [Newcastle United](/soccer/team?id=361) at a rocking St James' Park, and it could have been worse, if the referee had given a penalty or [John Stones](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/157974/John-Stones)' collision with [Fabian Schar](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/179233/Fabian-Schär). And yes, [Kyle Walker](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/129358/Kyle-Walker) had a torrid afternoon against [Allan Saint-Maximin](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/193281/Allan-Saint-Maximin), but the good news is he only plays him twice a year. [Ferran Torres](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/265869/Ferran-Torres) started in his place) and especially Ansu Fati, effectively moving to a 3-3-4 formation. At this stage, you assume he's going nowhere because with Nico having joined [Valencia](/soccer/team?id=94) on loan, there's nobody else to provide an alternative to Busquets (and no, [Franck Kessie](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/194711/Franck-Kessié) would have to reinvent himself to play that role.)

The Catalan club have hope of offloading Frenkie De Jong before August 31st, with Manchester United expected to go back in for the player according to ...

Bernardo Silva has always been open to a move to Barcelona, and if an offer comes in that suits Manchester City's valuation. Jules Kounde was not able to be registered for their game on Sunday, which shows where the club are at financially. [ Gerard Romero](https://twitter.com/gerardromero), Bernardo Silva to Barcelona is not dead, and it is a deal that is still possible.

A vital 45 minutes from Los Cules, led by Robert Lewandowski, helped Barcelona overcome Real Sociedad 4-1 in San Sebastian.

Barca got the job done in San Sebastian with a convincing second half that should spread some optimism to all Barcelona fans. And Although it looks like he could be Xavi´s first choice to improve the lack of defensive ability that Jordi Alba displays, Barcelona´s back four needs work, and the club have to find ways to elevate the squad to the next level with at least another signing in this transfer window. In the past two games in LaLiga, Barca has conceded chances very easily, opportunities that could have cost them a couple of points that could matter down the line. A positive sign for Barcelona and Xavi to have Lewandowski play at this level to help Barcelona overcome challenging games like the one at San Sebastian. ¨ We have played with two pure wingers [Dembele and Raphinha] and a striker in the interior position [Fati]. Despite a sensational attacking display in the second half, the night began with a first-minute Barcelona counter-attack that ended in an excellent finish by Robert Lewandowski.

Despite acquiring Casemiro from Real Madrid, Premier League side Manchester United are still said to be chasing Frenkie de Jong, with a report from ...

This is mainly because he is owed a substantial amount as part of the deferred wages and Barcelona are desperately trying to get their hands off the book. This means United could potentially launch a new and improved bid with better terms. In any way, the aforementioned outlet says that Erik ten Hag has convinced the Manchester United board to go ‘all-out’ for the signing of the midfielder.

In a fresh twist, Frenkie de Jong could still end up leaving Barcelona before the transfer window closes as German champions Bayern Munich are considering a ...

With a week left before the window closes, there could be major developments at Camp Nou. However, they did not exercise the option of signing him permanently. Bayern have strengthened their midfield this summer with the signing of Ryan Gravenberch from Ajax.

Manchester United representatives have jetted out to Barcelona to reignite a deal for Frenkie de Jong after sealing the arrival of Casemiro from Real Madrid ...

[Have Your Say!](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/frenkie-dejong-man-united-barcelona-27802695#comments-section) Should Man Utd sign De Jong after adding Casemiro ? [slammed as like the "mafia"](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/frenkie-dejong-barcelona-man-united-27739772) by former Dutch international Rafael van der Vaart. [subject of a fresh approach](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/man-utd-de-jong-transfer-27735589) from United after boss [Erik ten Hag](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/erik-ten-hag) urged the club [to remain patient on a deal](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/frenkie-dejong-man-united-barcelona-27636490) that has been in negotiations for over 16 weeks. A £67million offer has been lodged for Ajax forward Antony, although this has been knocked back by the Dutch giants. The pair had jetted [to the Catalan capital](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/manutd-barcelona-frenkie-dejong-transfer-27457156) several days earlier and despite reaching an agreement with the club, did not formalise the deal, but there is hope that can now be revived with a fresh visit. United are hopeful of at least two more additions in the closing weeks of the summer transfer window. Last week, they were in Madrid to kickstart the negotiations that brought about a move for Casemiro. Barca's financial situation will become significantly more complicated than they had hoped if his contract does not change. The club need to seal the exits of Samuel Umtiti, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Memphis Depay, Martin Braithwaite and Sergino Dest – but so far those outgoings are not materialising. The Blaugrana can now only register new signings by clearing their wage bill but this has proven to be significantly more difficult than they had initially hoped. As [Mirror Football exclusively reported,](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/man-utd-transfers-spending-casemiro-27790309) the Red Devils' signing of [Real Madrid](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/real-madrid-cf) midfielder [Casemiro,](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/casemiro) which was [confirmed on Friday evening,](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/breaking-man-utd-confirm-casemiro-27787732) has not ended the pursuit of De Jong. [Manchester United](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/manchester-united-fc) transfer chiefs have reportedly flown out to [Barcelona](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/fc-barcelona) to complete the transfer of [Frenkie de Jong](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/frenkie-de-jong) after the [Catalan club scheduled a meeting to speed up a sale.](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/frenkie-dejong-barcelona-man-united-27799088)