Barcelona keen on full-back valued at €30-40m by club

Barcelona have made their way to the final stages of the season with little depth beyond their options in central midfield and central defence, and if they do have money to spend next season, then the wide areas will be one of the focuses for Director of Football Deco. In particular the full-back positions.

Over recent months it has been reported that the right-back spot would be the focus for Deco, with the likes of Andrei Ratiu, Givairo Reed, Marc Pubill and Vanderson all linked to the Blaugrana. That will require Deco to be given some budget to reinforce the position, with Hansi Flick seemingly not convinced yet by young talent Hector Fort.

However according to Sky DE, as carried by Siempre Barca, former La Masia defender Alejandro Grimaldo has caught Deco’s eye too. They explain that the Bayer Leverkusen left-back has been in talks behind the scenes with Barcelona about a return to the club he came through at, before moving to Benfica. They also go on to explain that despite his contract running until 2027, there is a clause in it which allows him to return to his former club for a price in the region of €30-40m.

That may well be the stumbling block for Barcelona. There is uncertainty over how much they can spend this summer, and with Grimaldo not thought to be a priority, that money may go elsewhere. The fact that he is 29 years of age may also have an impact, as Barcelona are unlikely to shell out much for an older player.

Alejandro Balde is the de facto starter, while Gerard Martin has been used as the alternative at left-back by Flick. The fact that the club seem willing to part with young talent Alex Valle is also a testament to their faith in Martin, and youngster Jofre Torrents, who they believe could be in the first team soon.