Barcelona will reportedly pursue Manchester City defender Oleksandr Zinchenko if they cannot sign Marcos Alonso from Chelsea this summer.
According to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Oleksandr Zinchenko is the subject of interest from Barcelona over a possible move in the summer transfer window. The Catalan giants view the Manchester City defender as a potential alternative to Marcos Alonso, their priority target for the left-back berth.
Oleksandr Zinchenko has been a valuable asset for Manchester City since arriving from FC Ufa in July 2016. While Pep Guardiola has exclusively utilised the Ukrainian international as a rotation option, the versatile defender has made his mark whenever called upon, either as a left-back or a central midfielder.
Zinchenko has turned out over 100 times for Manchester City in the last six years, chipping in with two goals and 12 assists. But the 25-year-old is dismayed by the lack of regular game-time coming his way and could seek a summer departure from the Etihad. Such a situation has captured the attention of several high-profile clubs across Europe, including Barcelona.
Barcelona will likely delve into the market for a left-back in the summer transfer window, as Jordi Alba is in the twilight of his career. With the veteran Spanish international showing signs of age catching up with him, Barcelona will need to bring in a player who can share game-time with him.
Alejandro Balde is one for the future but is yet to establish a foothold in the first-team setup. So Barcelona will have to invest in a new left-back in the summer transfer window, with Chelsea full-back Marcos Alonso emerging as their priority target following an extensive search in the market.
But the Catalan giants will not put all their eggs in one Alonso-shaped basket and are keeping their options open ahead of the summer transfer window. Jose Gaya, Alejandro Grimaldo, and Javi Galan are some of the left-backs on their radar, with Zinchenko now emerging as a viable target.
The Manchester City defender can also double up as a central midfielder, making him an appealing option for Barcelona. But it will be interesting to see if the Blaugrana will have to switch focus from Alonso to Zinchenko. If so, Barcelona will have to stave off stiff competition from several Premier League clubs, including Arsenal.