#2 Alex Grimaldo (S. L. Benfica | Age: 25 | Left-Back)
Jordi Alba may have been one of the best players to put on a Barcelona shirt however, it is time that he must be replaced with a younger player. Alba is currently 32 years old and is still a starter for the main team. Junior Firpo tried to succeed him last season but was unable to do so successfully and Koeman has reverted back to Alba.
One player that they must look into is their own academy player, Alex Grimaldo, who left the club in order to join Benfica. Grimaldo left Barcelona’s B team in 2016 to join the Portuguese giants in order to get more chances. He made the correct decision and has gone on to win three League titles among several other trophies. Not only is the left-back capable enough of holding his wing, he also possesses the same attribute that made Alba so useful to Barcelona.
He can carry the ball seamlessly and it often seems like he is a winger rather than a left-back. He has amazing dribbling skills and can put some tremendous balls into the box. His stats back up this statement as well, as he has 35 assists for Benfica, from the defense.
At the age of 25, he is just entering his prime and he will do a fantastic job at Camp Nou if he is given the chance. He is valued at around 25 million pounds by Transfernarkt, and it is an amount that Barcelona should be able to afford next season after managing their finances.