Reigning La Liga champions Barcelona are reportedly keeping tabs on Netherlands international Jeroen Zoet as a potential replacement for Jasper Cillesen.
As per reports from Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, La Liga giants Barcelona have scouted PSV Eindhoven goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet, in a bid to replace current second-choice stopper Jasper Cillesen.
Cillesen has reportedly grown frustrated of playing second-fiddle to No.1 Marc-Andre ter Stegen and was angling towards an exit from Camp Nou in the summer itself. Since joining the Catalan outfit from Ajax back in 2016, the Netherlands international has made only 21 appearances and is yet to feature in the 2018-19 season.
Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde and the club hierarchy are more than happy with the 42-time capped Netherlands international, but the player is dissatisfied with the lack of regular playing time coming his way with the current La Liga title holders.
There were murmurs of interest from Serie A champions Juventus very early in the transfer window, but nothing materialized. However, the 29-year old, who still has three years left on his contract, remains intent on leaving the club and would jump at the possibility of an exit either in January or in the next summer window.
And should that come to be, the Catalans are understood to be eyeing Cillesen’s compatriot, Zoet, as the replacement for the 29-year old. The club reportedly watched the shot-stopper in action recently and are impressed by what they saw.
The Dutchman has been with PSV since 2006 and has notched up over 200 first-team appearances for the club, in the process winning three Eredivisie titles, including one in the 2017-18 season. He has played seven games in the ongoing term, managing 3 clean sheets.
The 11-time capped Netherlands international signed a new contract with PSV in July earlier this year, extending his stay at the club till the summer of 2021. However, he is believed to be open to a move to the Spanish champions should a chance present itself.
Technically sound, comfortable with the ball at his feet, the 27-year old has all the attributes needed of a goalkeeper to make the cut at Barcelona. And he is also likely to be more willing to act as backup to Ter Stegen than Cillesen.
The Blaugrana are set to continue monitoring the Netherlands international over the course of the season, but are expected to act on their interest only if his fellow countryman, Cillesen, ends up leaving the club either in the winter window or in the next summer.
