Barcelona are reportedly considering a move for 26-year-old Brazilian goalkeeper Leo Jardim from Lille in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Spanish outlet El Gol Digital, Barcelona have set their sights on Leo Jardim over a possible move in the summer transfer window. The Blaugrana are eyeing the 26-year-old Brazilian goalkeeper as a potential replacement for Neto, who is set to depart Camp Nou.
Leo Jardim arrived in Europe in the summer of 2018, when he joined Rio Ave on loan from Brazilian club Gremio. The goalkeeper then went on to join Lille a year later, but is yet to become a regular fixture in goal for the newly-crowned French champions. In fact, last summer, Lille hauled him off on a season-long loan spell to Boavista, where he has managed to impress.
A mainstay between the sticks for the Portuguese outfit, Jardim made 35 appearances across all competitions for As Panteras, although he managed just 10 clean sheets. Nevertheless, the 26-year-old appears to have impressed one of the biggest clubs in the world enough for them to be ready to make a move for him. The aforementioned suitor are Barcelona.
The Catalan giants are set to enter the market for a goalkeeper this summer for a goalkeeper, with Neto set to depart Camp Nou. The Brazilian shot stopper has been linked with West Ham United and Arsenal, among others, and his exit would leave Barcelona with academy graduates Inaki Pena and Arnau Tenas as the backups to Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
As a result, it has been suggested that the Blaugrana could make a move for a potential deputy for ter Stegen, with Andre Onana being mentioned as a target to that end. Jordi Masip is also on their radar, as per reports, with Jardim also emerging as a viable target for Barcelona.
The 26-year-old has three years of experience in Europe now and is coming off a full season of being a regular between the sticks at Boavista. That he is valued at an affordable €3 million by Lille, according to El Gol Digital, would only attract a financially-stricken Barcelona more towards Jardim.
For now, it appears that Jardim has popped up on the radar of Barcelona as one of the options to be signed as the next backup option for Marc-Andre ter Stegen. It now remains to be seen if the La Liga heavyweights do end up launching a €3 million move for the 26-year-old Brazilian goalkeeper.
