Possible replacements for Dani Alves next season
Dani Alves will not stay at Barcelona beyond this season after his contract negotiations broke down. That means Barcelona will need a new right-back, with neither Martin Montoya or Douglas seen as viable first-choices. Here are the various options:
Darmian (Torino): Braida's favourite
25 years old. italian. 30 games in Serie A and 12 in the Europa League, with two goals in each competition. Contract ends June 2017. International sporting director Ariedo Braida prefers this player, whom he knows from his time in Italian football. He is a player known for his solidity in defence, and his great ability to attack. The World Cup highlighted he was one of the best full-backs in the world and this summer it may be time for him to change club and join a huge team.
Aleix Vidal (Sevilla): A cantera player
25 years old. Spanish. 30 games in the top flight with three goals, and 10 games in the Europa League with two. His contract ends in June 2019. He was in the Barcelona youth team, Espanyol B and Real Madrid's.
He's an in-fashion full-back in Europe. His good performances in the Europa League have seen him and Sevilla reach the final. It hasn't gone unnoticed and Barcelona are trailing him. Although he's a winger as well, his great versitality allows him to play anywhere on the right flank, a suitable option. He knows the Spanish league, is Catalan, and has hunger to win titles.
Weiser (Bayern Munich): The Dani Alves project for Pep Guardiola
21 years old. German. 12 games in the Bundesliga, where he has scored a goal and has four assists. His contract ends on June 30 and he has not renewed it. He is good, but has a lot of as yet unfulfiled potential, and would like to join Barcelona. During his career, he has played in the centre of the pitch, but Guardiola - a fan of repositioning players - put him at right back, and he has delivered from there immediately. It's a risky option, but he could become one of the best full-backs in Europe in the years to come.
Hector Bellerin (Arsenal): He should never have left
20 years old. Spanish. 19 games in the Premier League and four in the Champions League. His contract finishes in June 2017. He knows Barcelona perfectly. He was in the youth teams until 2011, when he went to Arsenal.
His offensive capacity and speed have allowed him to become the starting right-back for a top Premier League team. Although the recent sales from Arsenal to Barcelona have not gone well, Bellerin is a safe bet.
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At the moment, Barcelona cannot sign players because of the FIFA ban. That could change, if the ban is revoked. If not, they may sign them in January.
