Barcelona Considering Bid For Fiorentina's Felipe Melo - Report

Barcelona are considering a move for Felipe Melo, should their bids for Javier Mascherano and Daniele De Rossi not come to fruition.

With Yaya Toure and Seydou Keita set to miss most of January due to the African Nations Cup, Barca coach Pep Guardiola is desperate for midfield reinforcements. According to El Mundo Deportivo, Guardiola has eyed Melo as a suitable alternative, as negotiations for Mascherano and De Rossi continue to drag on.

After a stellar season for Fiorentina, Melo has established himself as a regular in Dunga's Brazil team. He also has considerable experience of La Liga, having played for Mallorca, Racing Santander and Almeria previously.

However, a move is still a distant possibility, as the player has repeatedly spoken of his desire to stay with La Viola, who have no intention of selling him. It is believed that Barca would have to offer a minimum of €20 million to begin to interest Fiorentina.

Internazionale, Juventus, Arsenal, Manchester City and Real Madrid have all been linked with the player in the recent past.