Barcelona are reportedly set to prioritise the pursuit of 23-year-old Lyon star Ferland Mendy in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are eager to strengthen their options for the left side of the defence in the summer transfer window. The La Liga champions have thus, reignited their interest in Ferland Mendy, who is one of three targets for the left-back slot.
Ferland Mendy joined Lyon from Le Havre in the summer of 2017, and quickly established himself as a regular in their first-team setup. The 23-year-old has only gone from strength to strength in his second campaign with Les Gones, featuring in all but three games this term.
Mendy’s performances for Lyon have helped him break into the French national setup as well, with Didier Deschamps handing him his maiden cap last year. And, the defender’s exploits have been attracting bigger clubs as well, most prominent of them being Barcelona, who have been previously linked with a move for the player last summer.
Ernesto Valverde does have one of the world’s best left-backs at his disposal in Jordi Alba. But, beyond the Spaniard, the Barcelona boss does not have any recognised options to fill in during the first-choice defender’s absence, as has been brutally exposed this season.
Both Sergi Roberto and Nelson Semedo have both been played as makeshift left-backs this season, with Roberto struggling considerably last weekend against Valencia. Meanwhile, Juan Miranda is seen as one for the future, but as his performances have shown this season, the La Masia product still has some way to go before he can establish himself as a first-team regular.
Mendy is thus, seen as a player who can be an immediate solution for Barcelona, who have scouted him for much of the last 12 months. And, next week’s Champions League Round of 16 tie will present the Catalans with another opportunity to monitor how far the French international has come along.
Whether Barcelona finally choose to launch the offensive for Ferland Mendy next summer remains to be seen. What is clear though, is that the left-back slot is an area of concern, with no discernible backup option for Ernesto Valverde to pick beyond Jordi Alba.
