Saturday, 8th June, 2013

Barcelona have no interest in pushing to sign David Luiz from Chelsea this summer, having set their sights on more "modest" defensive reinforcements, according to Spanish daily El Mundo Deportivo.

Having recruited Neymar from Santos, shelling out a total of €57m for the Brazil international, the Catalan giants have now turned their attention towards strengthening other areas of their side.



Coach Tito Vilanova is desperate for defensive reinforcements and Luiz’s name had been floated.

But according to sources cited by El Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona do not intend to bid for the former Benfica defender this summer and are instead looking to bolster their backline in a more cost conscious way.

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To that end Arsenal stopper Thomas Vermaelen has been mooted as a potential target, having fallen out of the Gunners’ starting eleven towards the end of the season.

It remains to be seen who Barcelona will sign, but with Carles Puyol continuing to suffer injury problems and Gerard Pique enduring an underwhelming 2012/13 campaign, the Catalan giants are determined to introduce at least one new centre-back to their ranks for the upcoming season.

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