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The tournament is celebrating its 20th anniversary and some of the best players on the planet are competing for a title that means something

For years, while football fans salivated over Fifa World Cups, and basketball and hockey enthusiasts enjoyed an endless parade of NBA and NHL stars at the Olympics, baseball fans had bupkis, with no legitimate international tournament to speak of. Instead, there was something called the Baseball World Cup. Played without a Yankee, Cub or Dodger in sight, but with representatives from teams including the Montgomery Biscuits, Mexico Red Devils and Winnipeg Goldeyes, few fans in North America knew it existed, or when it was played. The only team with legit talent, Cuba, with players who could play in Major League Baseball, but did not because of politics, dominated the tournament.

Then in 2006 came a breakthrough with the debut of the 16-nation World Baseball Classic, which featured legitimate professional stars. The platform was built, the mysterious Cubans finally got to play in the US and the fans came. The tournament averaged nearly 19,000 fans a game, and that included the empty seat, Australia-Italy type match-ups. The face paint was bright, the vibes were October-like and the games were compelling; Japan held off Cuba as they took the maiden crown. The WBC passed its first test with a flourish and moved boldly into the future.

Despite being in the decisive stretch of the 2025/26 season and amid the upcoming presidential elections at Barcelona, the club’s sporting department, led by director Deco, continues to work on planning the squad for next season.

As has been well-established by now, a new left-footed centre-back is one of the priority signings for Barça, with names like Alessandro Bastoni and Micky van de Ven being touted as possible targets for the La Liga champions.

Deco eyes Nathan Ake of Manchester City

However, according to SPORT, one of the defenders most appreciated by Deco is Nathan Ake, currently under contract with Manchester City until 2027.

The 31-year-old Dutch international is viewed internally as a player who could fit both sporting and financial requirements for the Blaugrana.

Ake offers versatility, being able to play as a left-sided centre-back or left-back, which suits the needs of coach Hansi Flick.

Nathan Ake remains on Deco’s radar. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Moreover, within club offices, there is a belief that Manchester City might be open to negotiating his departure, considering the depth in the centre-back department.

After all, Ake has not been a regular starter under Pep Guardiola this season, playing 1,129 minutes across 24 matches, with only 12 starts, many of them in the cup competitions.

As such, Barcelona see Ake as a possible market opportunity in the club’s complicated financial context. Although the club recently received positive news regarding its salary limit, significant financial caution is still required.

The priority investment is expected to go toward signing a centre-forward, meaning that a relatively affordable defensive option could be attractive.

Barcelona already considered signing Ake during the winter transfer window after the long-term injury to Andreas Christensen. Ultimately, the club opted to bring in Joao Cancelo on loan instead. Even so, he remains on Deco’s shortlist.