With Dani Alves slowing down and their alternative not looking good, Barcelona are on the look-out for a new player to fill their unique right wing-back role.
Barcelona have had the world’s best attacking right back for so long that it must be difficult to come to terms with the fact that they will eventually have to move on.
But with Dani Alves passing thirty and starting to acquire more injuries, the Catalan club must start looking to the future.
Their current backups in the position have got problems of their own.
Martin Montoya was the heir to the position, but he hasn’t been able to get into the side, and has been so unhappy with his game-time that he’s declared he’s “100%” leaving Barcelona in the January window.
Montoya’s rival for the rightback spot is Brazilian Douglas, who was signed from Sao Paolo earlier this year, and has been utteraly awful in both his appearances for the club.
Neither of the pair are in the squad to face PSG tonight, and one imagines that club officials are workign hard to draw up a shortlist of potential new right-backs for the team. Here are some of the names likely to be on it.
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5. Atsuto Uchida- Schalke 04
With Barcelona’s awareness of their global brand always an important factor in their signings, a move for a Japanese international could be on the cards. Uchida is a fantastic worker for Roberto di Matteo’s Schalke, and is one of the few defenders who can claim to have an engine as impressive as Dani Alves. While he lacks some of the attacking flair of the Brazilian, he more than makes up for it in defensive aptitude.
4. Bruno Peres – Torino
If Barca are looking for more Brazilian flair and speed up the flank, they need look no further than Torino’s rampaging right back. The 24-year-old scored one of the goals of the season in last week’s Turin derby, running from his own box to the far end of the field and pinging in a wonderful finish at the end of it.
3. Cicinho – Santos
Another Brazilian option is the man who replaced Peres at Santos. Cicinho has a growing reputation in Brazil, and possesses a good blend of offensive and defensive attributes. Having just played a full season for the third meanest team in the Brasileirao, he could slot straight in as Alves’ backup.
2. Seamus Coleman – Everton
An outside option, but there are very few established full-backs in Europe who match Coleman as an all-round player. Fast, determined and technically good enough for Barcelona, it would be fascinating to see the Irishman who signed for the Toffees for just £60,000 give it a try at the Camp Nou.
1. Danilo – Porto
Probably the most likely long term deal, Danilo has established himself as the hottest property in the right-back position in Europe. He certainly won’t come cheap – expect a fee well over £20m, but it seems like a matter of time before the 23-year-old makes a monster move to one of Europe’s giants. If Barcelona are looking for an ideal Alves replacement, they need look no further.