Barcelona and Manchester City are reportedly set to compete for the signing of right-back Dani Alves, who is a free agent after his contract with PSG expired.
According to a report from the Mirror, Premier League champions Manchester City are set to enter the race to sign Brazilian defender Dani Alves. The veteran superstar is also on the radar of former club Barcelona.
Alves is a free agent now, after his contract with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain ran down at the end of the 2018-19 season. The 36-year-old spent two years with Les Parisiens during which he racked up 73 appearances, scoring 8 goals and setting up 18 more, winning two Ligue 1 titles in the process.
Alves has had an impressive summer as he was the captain of the Brazil team that lifted the Copa America earlier this month. The right-back impressed for Tite’s side and was named the best player of the competition, which is why, despite his advancing years, clubs are lining up to sign him up this summer on a free transfer.
One of the clubs interested in signing Alves is believed to be his former employers Barcelona. The 36-year-old enjoyed a highly successful eight-year spell with the Catalans, having joined from Sevilla in 2016. The Brazil international made over 350 appearances during his spell at Camp Nou, winning 6 La Liga titles and 3 UEFA Champions League trophies among other honours.
Alves left Barcelona for Juventus on the expiry of his contract in 2016, but now could be back on his way to the club. The Catalans are believed to be open to offering the 36-year-old a one-year deal, amid uncertainties surrounding the future of Nelson Semedo. However, they will have to battle Premier League side Manchester City according to the report.
Manchester City were interested in signing Alves back in the summer of 2017 when he decided to leave Juventus. The Brazilian came close to sealing a switch to the Etihad, but made a U-turn at the last moment and joined PSG instead. However, City manager Pep Guardiola is believed to be open to reuniting with his former ward and is likely to launch an attempt again.
Alves, despite being 36 years of age, has shown he can offer plenty at the highest level and would be the ideal competition for Manchester City’s first-choice right-back Kyle Walker, especially with fellow Brazilian international Danilo facing an uncertain future with the Premier League champions.
While Manchester City had been heavily linked with Juventus defender Joao Cancelo, there has been little progress on that front. This might have prompted Guardiola to take a punt on a player who he knows very well and has had great success with in the past, even if he is only a short-term fix.
Apart from the two clubs, there has been interest in Alves from the likes of Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid as well. But, it remains to be seen where the seasoned campaigner ends up when the 2019-20 season kicks off.
