Barcelona succumbed to a 5-3 defeat in their first preseason game earlier this week.
Locking horns with Arsenal, the Blaugranas showed flashes of brilliance while also highlighting the key voids in the setup.
The manager has taken note of the areas his side lacked against Mikel Arteta’s side.
According to reports from Alex Pintanel, Barcelona have identified their primary objective for the remainder of the transfer market as the signing of a new right-back.
A void since Dani Alves’ departure
Sergino Dest was the player who started at right-back in the team’s most recent outing and looked considerably out of depth in his 45-minute spell.
However, he is just the latest in a long list of the club’s failed attempts to fill the void Dani Alves’ departure left.
Nelson Semedo and Sergi Roberto were some of the options the Catalans attempted to use to reinforce the position, but none came to fruition.
In fact, the only player who came close to filling the void was Alves himself in his second stint at the club.
Last season, Xavi used Jules Kounde at right-back for the most part. While the Frenchman proved to be a valuable resource, it is no secret that his true prowess lies in central defence.
Barcelona’s two options to reinforce the right-back
Xavi and Mateu Alemany see the need of the hour to be an experienced option at right-back. On that front, Joao Cancelo seems a good fit.
The Manchester City star has no dearth of experience having even served even a loan spell at Bayern Munich over the past year. However, his arrival will not come cheap.
Pep Guardiola’s side seek €50 million for their right-back’s services, and it is clear that Barcelona cannot afford such a fee at this point in time.
The alternative, it appears, is the young Ivan Fresneda. The 18-year-old Real Valladolid prospect has just a year of experience under his belt.
Yet, his €20 million release clause places him well on the economic front and the soon-to-be Sporting Director Deco is willing to take the bet on his potential.