Dani Alves looks set to leave Barcelona upon the expiration of his contract after team-mate Neymar posted a farewell message on social media, just hours after the pair clinched the UEFA Champions League together.
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The Brazilian defender’s future has come under increased speculation in the last few months as he is yet to give any indication as to where he will be playing his football next season.
The right-back spoke at a press conference recently where he admitted he was feeling ‘disrespected’ by the Catalans and refused to confirm he was signing a new contract at the club [via the Daily Mail].
However, after reports in Spanish publication Sport claimed Barca have agreed a deal to sign Aleix Vidal from Sevilla as a potential replacement for Alves, Neymar has added fuel to the fire that the 32-year-old has played his last game for the club.
The caption reads: “The person here is the one responsible for making my dreams come true.
“My friend, companion, wingman, brother. Thank you for ‘looking after’ me for those two years here, Dani. I love you, bro.”
Manchester United have been heavily linked with signing Alves on a free transfer and there were rumours in the Daily Star Sport late last week that there is a pre-contract agreement in place between the two.
To date, nothing official has been announced from either party, but should Alves make the switch to Old Trafford then he could come up against Neymar at some stage of next season’s Champions League.
With seeding for the Europe’s elite club competition now changed [via the Independent], if United are successful in their qualifier at the start of next year then they will not be among the top seeds due to not winning the Barclays Premier League.
Instead they could find themselves in a group alongside the reigning La Liga, Copa Del Rey and European champions when the draw is made in August, meaning Alves and Neymar could be reunited sooner than expected.
The Red Devils are likely to face competition for the defender’s signature with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain are [via ESPN] reportedly watching developments closely , while Brazilian legend Cafu [via Mail Sport] has urged his compatriot to sign for AC Milan this summer.
Whichever club manages to secure Alves’s signature will be acquiring the services of a world-class full-back who, despite his age, has shown for Barcelona this season that he still has plenty left in the tank.