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Barcelona have stepped up their interest in Colombia star Daniel Munoz and are reportedly preparing an opening offer to send to Crystal Palace. Spanish outlet Fichajes claim Barcelona are ready to bid €30million (£26m / $35m) to try and take Munoz to Catalonia. Hansi Flick’s side have ‘accelerated contacts’ for the player after making him their No 1 target to bolster the right-back position. Barca scouts have been stunned by Munoz’s rise since his arrival at Palace. The Blaugrana believe he would jump at the chance to leave Palace and represent them in the Champions League. Daniel Munoz: The story so far Broke through at Rionegro Aguilas in his native Colombia at the age of 20 Joined fellow Colombian outfit Atletico Nacional in July 2019, going on to play 33 times for the club Arrived in Europe in summer 2020 by joining Genk in a €4.5m deal Genk almost doubled their money on Munoz when selling him to Palace in January 2024 He was an instant hit at Palace and has notched eight goals and 14 assists in 77 matches Fichajes suggest Barca will likely have to increase their €30m proposal for Munoz in order to forge an agreement with Palace. The Eagles are protected by his contract, which runs until June 2028, and can therefore demand a premium fee. Oliver Glasner sees the 29-year-old as a crucial player for his system and will urge Palace not to sell. Glasner is a hugely influential figure and convinced Palace to stop Marc Guehi from joining Liverpool on deadline day. Barca, though, are pressing ahead regardless and are ‘moving quickly’ for Munoz as they look to anticipate interest from rival clubs. The report adds that Atletico Madrid are ‘also in the running’ for Munoz’s capture, setting up a potential battle between the two LaLiga giants. DON’T MISS 👉 Why ‘powerful’ AC Milan star should reject Arsenal for Barcelona Munoz performances have dazzled Barcelona It is no surprise that Munoz is picking up interest from elite clubs. He adapted extremely quickly to Premier League football and is now vital to the way Glasner wants to play. Munoz has a fantastic engine, which allows him to maraud forward and get involved with attacks before tracking back and helping out defensively. Munoz’s decision-making continues to improve, and he is building a habit for crashing in at the back post and causing mayhem. Jamie Carragher even went as far as calling him ‘the best wing-back in the Premier League’ on Sky Sports earlier this month. The 42-cap international was first linked with a shock move to Barca on Saturday. Fichajes is not Spain’s most reliable source for transfer news, so we must wait and see if other outlets confirm or deny such interest. Munoz is not the only Palace star Barca are eyeing, as they have also joined the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Bayern Munich in the race for Marc Guehi. After El Clasico, we explained why Barca simply must ensure they win the battle for Guehi’s services. How could Flick fit Munoz in? If Barca’s interest in Munoz is true, then the signing could herald a defensive shift under Flick. Jules Kounde has largely been operating as Barca’s first-choice right-back in recent years, though he is also very comfortable as a centre-half. The addition of Munoz would allow Kounde to play in central defence and help out the likes of Pau Cubarsi and Eric Garcia. Kylian Mbappe caused Barca plenty of problems in El Clasico, and Kounde would be better equipped to deal with him. Barca are searching for a new centre-back to partner Cubarsi in the long run, and Kounde could emerge as a readily available option.
