Barcelona reactivate interest in Jose Luis Gaya
With three signings already in the books, Barcelona appear far from done in their quest to strengthen their side ahead of next season.
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With Junior Firpo more than likely out the door, a need is soon to rise up at left-back. Enter Valencia captain José Luis Gayà.
Barcelona looking for someone to compete with Jordi Alba at left-back.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are considering going after the left-back to not simply be a back-up to Jordi Alba, but to provide legitimate competition for the 32-year-old.
Gayà’s contract with Valencia is set to expire in 2023 so he has two years remaining with “Los Che.” But he has stopped talks on a possible extension, which could play in the Catalans’ favor.
Internally, the club would be very keen on incorporating the left-back. They believe he possesses the qualities they are looking for.
He is adept and skillful going forward but is also very solid on defense. In many aspects, he’s similar to the profile of Alba but six years younger.
Another factor that could potentially play in their favor is the mess that Valencia find themselves in. Their owner, Peter Lim, has been adamant that they are not going to spend a lot on transfers and does not think twice about moving on from club legends.
While it is unknown what Valencia would ask for Gaya, his future at the club may not be quite clear. New manager José Bordalás is interested in signing Getafe’s Marc Cucurella who is also a left-back.
In any case, the Catalans are likely to want to use Carles Aleñá in a possible deal. The midfielder is set to return after his loan spell with Getafe but is unlikely to be part of Ronald Koeman’s plans.
Next. Barcelona and PSG involve in a tug of war for getting Georginio Wijnaldum. dark
Barca have long needed someone who can compete with Alba and be a replacement down the line. If they are able to pry Gayà away from Valencia, they would have achieved both objectives.