Barcelona are monitoring Galatasaray attacking midfielder Alexey Batrakov, according to Spanish newspaper Diario Sport.
The 21-year-old Russian has reportedly been followed by Barcelona scouts for several years. The Catalan club have not opened negotiations for Batrakov, but are continuing to assess his development.
Barcelona’s interest is understood to have increased after their meeting with Galatasaray in the Champions League, when the club’s scouts had the opportunity to watch the midfielder directly.
Galatasaray are aware of interest in Batrakov from Barcelona, Paris St-Germain and other major clubs, according to the report. However, the player’s release clause is regarded as a significant obstacle for Barcelona.
Batrakov’s contract contains a buyout clause worth 55 million euros. Barcelona are not prepared to pay that amount at this stage, although the situation could change if the Russian continues to make progress.
Batrakov has made 10 appearances for Galatasaray, scoring two goals and providing two assists.
