Barcelona defender Jordi Alba is reportedly discontent at the Nou Camp and has been offered a summer escape route to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
According to a report by Ok Dairo, the Catalan giants will be willing to do business with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the summer and will look to get around €30 million for Alba, a figure that can easily be met by the Qatari-backed Premier League giants.
Alba has reportedly grown frustrated with life at the Nou Camp in this season after being left out on the bench on numerous occasions. He has made 29 appearances in all competitions this season and started 24 of those games. He has only made 18 Liga appearances this term out of a possible 27.
Most recently, he was left out of Barcelona’s historic comeback victory against PSG in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League Round Of 16 tie. Luis Enrique has also begun using a 3-4-3 formation, further reducing opportunities for Alba to hold down a place in the squad.
At 27 years of age, the fullback in currently in the best years of his career and according to the report, he is baffled on how he could be left out a squad he was once such an integral part of and is reported to have made his discontent clear to the Barcelona hierarchy.
The Spanish international believes he could double his €4-million-a-year salary at Manchester City and the report states that Guardiola is willing to him player on board, having recommended Alba’s summer acquisition to the Citizens’ board himself as he prepares to revamp the squad.
Alba’s departure would free up the funds required to tie down Lionel Messi to a long term deal at Catalonia. Should he move to the Etihad, he would certainly be able to hold down a place in the starting XI ahead of Kolarov, Zabaleta, Sagna and Clichy, all of whom are expected to depart in the summer.
Having spent 5 seasons at Barcelona, the 27-year-old will be accustomed to their ways and the Barcelona philosophy, making it that much easier for him to settle into Pep Guardiola’s squad. The former Bayern Munich boss has struggled to find a proper defensive formation in his first season and Alba’s acquisition will certainly help solve a bit of the problem.
