Alex Teixeira has been identified as one of the potential targets for Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman this summer.
According to El Gol Digital, FC Barcelona have kickstarted their preparation for the new season, with coach Ronald Koeman shortlisting his transfer targets for the upcoming summer transfer window. One player who has emerged as a potential option is Alex Teixeira, as the Dutchman hopes to add more quality in the attacking midfield position.
Formerly of Jiangsu Suning, Teixeira has become a hot prospect in the market after leaving the club the Chinese Super League club in January. He is, therefore, a free agent right now and eligible to join Barcelona for free this summer – making him a cost-effective option for the Catalan giants, whose struggles in terms of finances in light of the pandemic have been well documented.
A product of the Vasco Da Gama youth academy in his native Brazil, Alex Teixeira had initially risen to prominence at Shakhtar Donetsk. He had made a whopping 222 competitive appearances for the Ukrainian giants, scoring 89 goals before joining Jiangsu Suning, in early 2016 for a fee of €50 million.
During his five years with the Chinese Super League outfit, the playmaker has broken records – netting a total of 73 goals while also registering 43 assists in just 153 competitive appearances. His contributions in front of goal helped Jiangsu emerge as one of China’s top clubs, with the club even winning the Super League in the 2019 season.
As a result, Teixeira appears to have attracted the interest of FC Barcelona as they look to prepare for life without Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian has fallen out of favour and behind the likes of Pedri, Francisco Trincao and Ansu Fati in the pecking order.
The former Liverpool man has even been linked with a move back to England, thus ideally paving the way for Teixeira to slot right into the Barcelona setup – as a short-term, cost-effective replacement for his compatriot.
Three Potential Destinations for Barcelona outcast Philippe Coutinho | THT Opinions
Barca are no strangers to signing players from the Chinese Super League, having notably signed Paulinho a few seasons ago. Although that move did not work out quite well for the Catalans, it appears Teixeira could be an ideal quick-fix as he has had prior success in Europe while his dynamic style of play could fit in nicely at Camp Nou.
