Manchester United and Tottenham are reportedly eager to sign Jordi Alba from Barcelona this summer, with a €60 million offer on the cards.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Don Balon, Manchester United and Tottenham are interested in signing Jordi Alba in the summer transfer window. The Premier League duo could also face competition from Chelsea and Juventus in pursuit of the Barcelona defender, who would cost €60 million.
Alba’s return to Barcelona from Valencia in the summer of 2012 has been nothing short of a resounding success. After playing a starring role in Spain’s Euro 2012 success, the player went to quickly establish himself as a regular in the first-team setup, and has only grown in stature since then.
The last few seasons have seen him become one of the pillars of Barcelona’s success, playing a pivotal role for the Catalans on the left flank. In the 2017-18 season, Alba was a mainstay at the back, amassing 48 appearances across all competitions, with a stellar return of 3 goals and 12 assists in his outings.
However, his Barcelona future has surprisingly been uncertain as there has been no progress over a renewal on his current deal, which expired in 2020. As a result, several big-name clubs across Europe have been put on alert over a possible move this summer, with Manchester United and Tottenham at the head of the chasing pack, which also includes Chelsea and Juventus.
The grim left-back situation at Manchester United is well documented, with Luke Shaw’s struggles under Jose Mourinho having no end. Shaw’s underwhelming progress saw Mourinho deploy Ashley Young at the left side of defence this past season. And while the veteran Englishman excelled in the role, he is not an ideal long-term solution.
Although there have been reports that Mourinho is ready to give Shaw another chance, Alba will be a huge upgrade. The Spaniard will be a much-needed pacy outlet in the final third as well. If Shaw is indeed retained by the Manchester United boss beyond the summer, the Barcelona superstar could even prove to be a fantastic mentor for the youngster.
Meanwhile, with Danny Rose set to leave this summer – the Englishman was coincidentally linked with Manchester United as well – Tottenham are in need of a top class left-back replacement, with Ben Davies the only other option at Mauricio Pochettino’s disposal.
As per a report by AS, €60 million is being quoted as a possible offer by Tottenham, which could pose a problem in itself, with Alba’s contract containing a €150 million release clause. But, the undervalued bid isn’t the only hurdle in their, as well as Manchester United’s pursuit, with Alba iterating that he would like to remain at Barcelona for life.
“No, no, I’m very good at Barca. If it were up to me, I would stay at Barcelona all my life. But it does not depend on me but on what the club wants. It also depends on my performance, which this season has been very good, but I do not see myself outside of Barcelona.”
Thus, a possible summer swoop for Alba will be quite an uphill task for Manchester United, Tottenham and any other suitor, unless Barcelona do not offer him a fresh contract. This has the makings of an interesting saga, but only if there’s no renewal.
