Rafinha 'very welcome' at Celta Vigo, says Beltran, as Barcelona look to offload midfielder

Barcelona's Rafinha Alcantara would be “very welcome” at Celta Vigo, according to Fran Beltran, with the Blaugrana understood to be keen to sell the midfielder in order to fund Ronald Koeman's ongoing rebuild at the club.

The Camp Nou side have already sold Luis Suarez to Atletico Madrid, Nelson Semedo to Premier League side Wolves, Jorge Cuenca to Villarreal, Ivan Rakitic to Sevilla and Arturo Vidal to Inter as they seek to reduce their wage bill and keep the books balanced.

Having raised funds through the aforementioned sales, the Catalan club were able to finance a move for Sergino Dest from Ajax, with the 19-year-old just one of many targets Barca have on their transfer wishlist.

Memphis Depay is high on that list as the Liga side make peace with the fact that they will be unable to sign Lautaro Martinez from Inter, but disposable income is back to a premium after spending €20m (£18m/$23m) up front plus an additional €5m (£4.5m/$6m) in bonuses on Dest.

As a result, Barca are keen to move on a raft of other players who do not feature in Koeman's long-term plans, with Rafinha part of a list that also includes Martin Braithwaite, Samuel Umtiti, Jean-Clair Todibo and Junior Firpo.

With the Brazilian up for grabs and currently in the last year of his current deal in Catalunya, Celta midfielder Beltran would love to be reunited with a man who spent last year on loan with the Galacian club.

“If we can bring people in that are as good as him on and off the field, he would be very welcome,” Beltran told La Razon. “We saw Rafinha last year, he is a great player and he can help us a lot. But his signing is a matter for those above. It is not my decision nor is it in my power.”

Quality signings would serve as a huge boost to Celta, who finished the 2019-20 Primera Division in 17th place, but a win and a draw in their first two games of the new campaign has Beltran and his team-mates believing in head coach Oscar's playing style.

“With the style of play we have now, when we lose the ball we instantly all go in the same direction,” he said. “That's where the team and myself have improved. We're like a chain; if one gear fails, the whole team fails.”