Barcelona have reportedly been told to meet the €15 million valuation to sign Jose Gaya from Valencia, as they continue their search for a left-back.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are interested in bringing Jose Gaya to the club as they look to find a long-term replacement for the ageing Jordi Alba. Ramon Planes, the technical director at Barcelona, has his eyes set on Valencia, who are currently undergoing a difficult economic situation at the club. The situation could make it easier for the Blaugrana to swoop in for Gaya.
Jose Gaya. 25, is the captain of Valencia and one of the best left-backs in the Spanish top-flight currently. At present, Gaya also starts for the Spanish National Team ahead of the likes of Jordi Alba, Sergio Reguilon and Marcos Alonso.
This season, Gaya has made 17 appearances and has 4 assists to his name. Although Valencia find themselves placed 14th in the league table, Gaya has looked solid for large parts of the campaign. The Spaniard will be a terrific addition if he were to make the move to Barcelona.
Earlier this season, Valencia were forced to sell players in abundance to balance their books after a problematic financial strain. They declared in a public statement that they were willing to listen to offers for all players in the club except their captain Gaya, who remains at the Mestalla presently.
Barcelona are actively looking to find a successor for Jordi Alba, who turns 32 in March as Junior Firpo, though talented, does not seem to be the answer to their problems. Barcelona have shown interest in David Alaba and Marcos Alonso, but it is Gaya that has caught Koeman’s eye.
As good as Gaya sounds on paper for the Blaugrana, they will have to offload one of their two left-backs. Alba would be the obvious choice, given his age and high wages. However, Junior Firpo, 24, has reportedly pushed for a move in this winter window that has been blocked by the Barcelona board.
Due to the delayed presidential elections at the club, January signings seem unlikely. A move for Memphis Depay also failed to materialise and looks postponed to the end of the season. The same goes for Gaya, which means that Fipro could remain at Barcelona for now.
However, Barcelona would be hoping to sign Gaya come the summer window as they look to take a step further in this transition period. Gaya has an immense attacking impetus to his game and will suit Barcelona’s style. It is reported that he would cost around €15 million, an amount that would even suit Barcelona’s rather bleak finances.
Moreover, the €15 million outlay could be easily balance by the sale of Firpo in the summer. Gaya certainly looks like a promising target for Barcelona and should prove to a valuable addition to their squad, and it remains to be seen if the Catalans do make a move for him in the summer, although it is suggested that Gaya would like to remain at Valencia.
