FC Barcelona identified Nolito as a suitable replacement for Pedro

 While FC Barcelona seem unwilling to sell homegrown winger Pedro Rodriguez, at least not for about a week or so, until the UEFA Super Cup game between Barcelona and Sevilla, but reports in Spain are saying the Catalans are already looking for a replacement. Mundo Deportivo has identified Celta Vigo winger Nolito as the primary option to replace Pedro, again overlooking some exciting winger options already on the team, most notably Adama Traore.

Nolito is a known commodity in Barcelona, playing three seasons with the Barcelona B team, all three under then B team coach and current Barça coach Luis Enrique. Nolito also made his first team Barcelona debut during that time, playing two games for the then Pep Guardiola led Barcelona. Nolito then joined Benfica before he was reunited with Lucho at Celta Vigo in 2013.

Nolito’s career took off after he joined Celta, leading Celta to an impressive 8th place finish this past season. He capped off the impressive season, in which he scored 13 goals and added 14 assists, by winning his Spain senior team debut.

Rumors linking Nolito to the Catalan club aren’t new, as they were first reported prior to last season, but the deal was tabled at the time. Nolito still has has four years left on his current deal with the Galician club with a buy-out clause reportedly standing at €18 million. If the deal for Nolito materializes, the 28-year-old Spanish international will like Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal be subject to the transfer ban handed to Barcelona last year and will be unable to play until January 2016.