Barcelona target misses training to undergo medical ahead of summer transfer
- Oriol Romeu has been excused from Girona training
- Veteran midfielder is set for a medical with Barcelona
- Pablo Torre could move in the opposite direction on loan
By Tom Gott
Girona midfielder Oriol Romeu is not training with the team on Monday after being given permission to head to Barcelona for a medical ahead of securing a transfer to Camp Nou.
Barcelona want a new midfielder to replace departed captain Sergio Busquets and have set their sights on Romeu, a former La Masia gem, to fill the void.
Talks between the two Catalan sides have been ongoing for weeks and numerous reports in Spain suggest an agreement has now been reached, with Barcelona expected to pay around €5m plus add-ons for the 31-year-old.
To sweeten the deal, Barcelona are also expected to send young midfielder Pablo Torre on loan to Girona.
Gerard Romero states that Romeu has been excused from training and has travelled to Barcelona's training ground to undergo a medical and put pen to paper on a contract.
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Should all go according to plan, Romeu is expected to become Barcelona's third signing of the summer, following Ilkay Gundogan and Inigo Martinez in sealing moves to Camp Nou.
Romeu left Barcelona for Chelsea in 2011 having shone for the B team and managed two senior appearances, both of which came during the 2010/11 season under Pep Guardiola.
His only La Liga appearance came as a substitute against Deportivo La Coruna towards the end of the campaign, with Romeu initially named on the bench alongside current Blaugrana boss Xavi, who went unused.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed there are plans to sign a second midfielder alongside Romeu, and a new right-back is also high on Xavi's wish list.
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