Barcelona have reportedly set their sights on Borussia Dortmund ace Raphael Guerreiro as a potential alternative for Chelsea star Marcos Alonso.
According to Ferran Martinez, Barcelona have identified Borussia Dortmund and Portugal left-back Raphael Guerreiro as one of the possible alternatives if they miss out on signing top target Marcos Alonso this summer.
Barcelona are looking to bring in a new left-sided full-back in the ongoing transfer window as they seek to provide veteran defender Jordi Alba with adequate cover and competition in the position, something which was not an option last season. The Catalans, to that end, have set their sights on Chelsea’s Marco Alonso as their main target.
Alonso has entered the final year of his contract at Chelsea and has his heart set on a move to Barcelona, with personal terms already said to be agreed. Recent reports have indicated that the Blaugrana are confident of landing the Spanish international, but some doubts remain about the transfer, especially after how the situation with Cesar Azpilicueta unfolded.
Hence, Barcelona have prepared a contingency plan for such a scenario and have identified several alternatives for Alonso, including Borussia Dortmund’s Raphael Guerreiro.
The 28-year-old Portuguese international has been with the Bundesliga giants since 2016, when he arrived from FC Lorient and has been one of their most consistent performers during this period. So far, Guerreiro has made 188 appearances for Borussia Dortmund, registering 34 goals and 37 assists, including one assist in one match in the 2022/23 campaign.
However, Guerreiro is in the final year of his contract with the Bundesliga club, and Barcelona could look to capitalise on the situation if they fail to land Alonso from Chelsea. At 28, the Portuguese full-back is in his prime years and has enough experience at the highest level to compete with Alba and replace him as the first-choice left-back at Camp Nou in a year or two.
Also Read: Three Marcos Alonso alternatives for Barcelona
Apart from Guerreiro, Barcelona are also looking at Valencia captain Jose Gaya, Celta Vigo’s Javi Galan and Tottenham Hotspur’s Sergio Reguilon as potential alternatives for Alonso. But the Chelsea ace remains the priority target for the Catalan heavyweights, and they are hopeful of getting the deal over the line in the coming days.
