The shocking truth behind Barcelona’s failure to sign Bayern Munich captain in 2023 – report | OneFootball

In a recent revelation by Mundo Deportivo, it has been disclosed that Bayern Munich captain Joshua Kimmich was very close to joining Barcelona.

This story dates back to July 2023, during the pre-season period. At that time, Barcelona’s former manager Xavi, along with director Mateu Alemany, were eagerly awaiting Kimmich’s decision to join the club.

The German midfielder had given a positive response, but Barcelona struggled to secure the necessary funds to finalise the deal.

During that summer, Xavi’s main priority was to replace the departing Sergio Busquets, and Kimmich was at the top of the list. The club also considered Martin Zubimendi, but Kimmich was the first choice.

What really happened?

Negotiations with the Bayern player were progressing well, and things were even progressing on a personal level, with both Xavi and Kimmich exchanging congratulations over their recent league triumphs.

Joshua Kimmich agreed to join Barcelona in 2023. (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)

A formal offer was made to Kimmich, and by July 29, Barcelona were waiting for the final confirmation from the player.

Meanwhile, Barcelona won their pre-season match against Real Madrid in Dallas. Xavi and Alemany were hopeful that Kimmich would accept their offer.

However, the deal began to fall apart when the funds needed for the transfer did not arrive on time.

In the end, Barcelona was forced to change their plans at the last minute of the transfer window, as Xavi had to make a difficult decision to loan Eric García to Girona and sign Oriol Romeu as a replacement for Busquets.

Why did it happen?

Barcelona had to rely on money from Bridgeburg Invest for the operation, but due to the complexities of international transfers, the money had not been transferred as expected.

Days passed, and there were excuses about delays, but the funds were simply not available. Xavi, who had been working hard to bring Kimmich to Barcelona, was left to face the disappointment of the situation.

Now, just months later, it has been reported that Kimmich is in negotiations with Real Madrid. His contract with Bayern Munich ends in June, which means he could join Madrid for free.

This transfer would fill a significant gap for Madrid, especially as they look to replace Toni Kroos.