Barcelona could reportedly offer Jordi Alba in a part-exchange deal to sign key defensive target Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus in the summer.
According to a report by Italian outlet Calciomercato, Barcelona will soon concentrate on signing Matthijs de Ligt in the summer transfer window. But the Catalan giants cannot afford to pay Juventus’s asking price for the Dutch defender, and they could propose a part-exchange deal involving Jordi Alba to the Bianconeri.
Matthijs de Ligt has endured a topsy turvy ride since joining Juventus from Ajax in July 2019. The 22-year-old initially struggled to live up the hype around him, falling behind Giorgio Chiellini and Leandro Bonucci in the pecking order for centre-backs. But de Ligt has been a shining light for the Serie A giants this season, with Bonucci and Chiellini struggling to remain fit for large periods.
The Dutch international has turned out 39 times across all competitions for Juventus this season, chipping in with three goals and an assist in the process. But de Ligt could leave Juventus in the summer transfer window to embark on a new adventure, with Barcelona keen on signing him.
The Catalan giants hold a long-standing interest in de Ligt, and they also attempted to sign him before he joined Juventus. Barcelona’s desire to secure the youngster’s services has grown stronger in the last three years, especially with the player open to seeking a new project to further his career.
Barcelona will need to delve into the market for a centre-back in the summer transfer window, as Gerard Pique is in the twilight of his career. In addition, Samuel Umtiti, Clement Lenglet and Oscar Mingueza are surplus to requirements at Camp Nou, while Eric Garcia has blown hot and cold since rejoining Barcelona from Manchester City in a Bosman move last summer.
Matthijs de Ligt is thus a viable target for Barcelona. And the Blaugrana could offer Jordi Alba in a deal to sign the 22-year-old in the summer transfer window. Barcelona cannot afford to pay Juventus’s asking price for de Ligt, but they believe they can get their man by putting €50 million and Alba on the table.
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Juventus will likely look to sign a left-back in the summer transfer window as Alex Sandro has regressed considerably in the last few years. Meanwhile, Barcelona might also invest in a left-back, with Marcos Alonso recently emerging as their priority target. With Alejandro Balde already waiting in the wings, offloading Alba to sign de Ligt could do the trick for Barcelona.
