Besiktas intensify pursuit of Barcelona midfielder in the final days of transfer window

With the summer transfer window slamming shut soon, the future of Marc Casado will likely dominate the headlines for now.

The midfielder has yet to secure an exit from Camp Nou despite having been identified as surplus to requirements by Hansi Flick and his troops.

RB Leipzig were credited with interest in the midfielder recently but have since dropped the pursuit. That leaves Besiktas as the ones firmly in focus.

Besiktas intensify pursuit of Casado

Casado has no place in the Barcelona team. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

According to Diario SPORT, Besiktas have been one of the most interested clubs since the start of the summer and have intensified their pressure in recent days to convince both Barcelona and the player to sanction a move.

The Turkish club’s sporting director, Eduard Graf, who spent twelve years as head of scouting at Borussia Dortmund, is a great admirer of the Barcelona school and enjoys a good relationship with the club.

He first made contact with Casado’s representative, Jorge Mendes, before approaching Deco, and Besiktas are the only club to have made a formal offer so far.

Barcelona had initially demanded a fee of around €20 million, though the approaching deadline has forced them to reconsider that valuation.

With their transfer targets already funded, particularly after the sale of Ferran Torres to PSG, the club are more focused on simply raising funds through Casado’s departure.

A big decision awaits

What’s in store for Casado’s future? (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

While Besiktas are leading the chase, Casado himself appears to have reservations about the move.

The midfielder is understood to be more inclined towards other destinations, having ruled out a switch to Saudi Arabia in his desire to keep playing in Europe.

Beyond Besiktas, both RB Leipzig and clubs in England have shown interest, though none have made a formal offer to match the Turkish side, with Leipzig now set to sign Neil El Aynaoui.

What is clear is that Casado wants to find a new home where he can enjoy his football again, even if it means leaving his boyhood club.

All signs point towards his next destination being in one of Europe’s top leagues, though nothing is yet 100% decided.

With time running out, Barcelona, Mendes and the player himself are working to resolve the situation, and Casado’s future looks set to be settled right before the deadline.