German media sources are suggesting that midfielder Joshua Kimmich could potentially join FC Barcelona on a free transfer in 2025. Bayern Munich, however, is growing increasingly concerned that Kimmich may be allowing his contract to run down in order to make the move to the Catalan giants. According to Bild, Bayern Munich is aware that Barcelona's head coach, Xavi Hernandez, has been in contact with Kimmich.
In an effort to avoid losing Kimmich for nothing in 2025, Bayern Munich is reportedly open to negotiating his transfer to Barcelona this summer for a reduced fee. Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi is also said to be a top target for Xavi as Barcelona prepares for the post-Sergio Busquets era. Busquets recently announced his departure from Barcelona after spending 15 years with the club, joining the ranks of former Barcelona star Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, where Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez currently play.
Barcelona's financial constraints prevented them from pursuing Kimmich or Zubimendi earlier, as their price tags exceeded $76 million (€70 million). As a result, Barcelona signed La Masia graduate Oriol Romeu from Girona for a considerably lower fee of around $4.4 million (€3.9 million). However, Romeu's performances declined, and he fell out of favor after Frenkie de Jong suffered an injury.
Joshua Kimmich would be an ideal partner for de Jong in a double pivot midfield role at Barcelona. This tactical approach would also allow his German national team captain, Ilkay Gundogan, to thrive in a more advanced position. When de Jong was absent due to injury, Gundogan had to play as a deeper-lying midfielder, leading to a lack of creativity and supply for Kimmich's former Bayern teammate, Robert Lewandowski.
To secure Kimmich's services, Barcelona could follow a similar approach to the one they used with Gundogan when his Manchester City contract was set to expire. Barcelona managed to convince Gundogan to join them for free. Alternatively, a transfer in 2024 could be possible if Bayern Munich agrees to negotiate a reduced fee, provided Barcelona can gather the necessary funds.
Only time will tell if Joshua Kimmich will make a move to FC Barcelona in the future. The potential partnership between Kimmich and de Jong in Barcelona's midfield is certainly an exciting prospect for both players and fans alike.
