Barcelona have reportedly identified Dani Parejo as a possible alternative to Philippe Coutinho, and are eyeing a move for the Valencia midfielder.
According to a report by Spanish publication Don Balon, Barcelona are eyeing a move for Dani Parejo. In fact, the Blaugrana are considering the Valencia captain as a possible alternative to Philippe Coutinho, if their pursuit of the Liverpool playmaker runs into troubled waters.
Parejo’s career has been on a gradual upward trajectory since he joined Valencia from Getafe in the summer of 2011. After making a slow start to his spell at the Mestalla, the player has established himself as an indispensable figure for Los Che, having also been handed the captain’s armband.
In all, Parejo has made close to 250 appearances for Valencia over the last six years, with a modest return of 36 goals and 37 assists to show for his efforts. The player’s ability to dictate the tempo of the game as well as his eye for goal have helped him earn several plaudits over the years.
Most ball recoveries so far in #LaLigaSantander 2017/18: ?⚽️
63 – @DaniParejo
63 – @RUBENPEREZ_4
56 – @Koke6
55 – @SergioRamos pic.twitter.com/mQR04jalzT— LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) October 9, 2017
His exploits for Valencia have also seen Parejo attract interest from one of the biggest clubs in the world. Barcelona have identified the Spanish midfielder as one of their top targets and are likely to make a move for him next summer.
Ernesto Valverde currently has a plethora of options in midfield, with the likes of Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Denis Suarez, Sergi Roberto, Andre Gomes and Paulinho to choose from. However, the fact that Iniesta is slowly approaching the end of his glittering career is undeniable, even though he recently signed a lifetime contract at the club.
The Blaugrana are laying down the succession plan for the veteran midfielder, and are identifying possible replacement options. Philippe Coutinho is believed to be the primary target for Barcelona, but between Liverpool standing firm on their stance on him and PSG’s entry in the race, the Brazilian’s pursuit is complicated.
Thus, Parejo has emerged as a viable target for Barcelona to consider, with his ability to dictate the pace of the game making him an ideal fit at Camp Nou. Ernesto Valverde knows the player well too, having managed him during his time at Valencia.
Parejo recently switched agents, and it is believed that the Valencia captain did so in order to scour a possible switch to Camp Nou. It now remains to be seen if the move to Barcelona sees the light of the day, although it will likely depend on the Blaugrana’s ability to land Coutinho.
