At FC Barcelona there is a folder that is about to be opened. This is the one chosen to compete next season with Jordi Alba in the left lane. This winter some names were already being considered, such as Nicolás Tagliafico, from Ajax, or Alejandro Grimaldo, from Benfica, but finally the technical secretariat prioritized other positions and reinforcements to implement the squad.
Now, with the summer market three months away from opening, the folder is taken out of the drawer, with a name on the table. As AS has learned, among technicians there is a consensus that The best positioned to take over from Jordi Alba for next season would be the current Celta defender, Javi Galán. The Blaugrana club, which has been following the Extremadura side for a long time, considers Galán as the ideal candidate to compete with the veteran player, taking into account that Alba turned 33 this March, so he will need a break in the coming years to avoid greater wear.
Galán, at 27 years old, has made a place for himself in Eduardo Coudet’s starting eleven, being one of the key pieces in the Vigo team’s comeback. The Extremaduran stands out for his speed and verticality, not in vain has he played as a winger in several games, as well as for his power and ability to associate with his teammates.
The main obstacle for Barcelona is that The player has a contract with Celta until 2026, so he would have to negotiate a transfer. In the Blaugrana club, the possibility of accompanying the offer with some barter or exchange of players is not ruled out. We must remember the good relations of the Galician team with the Catalan entity, with transfers like Denis Suárez, as a clear example.
Right now Galán is ahead of Grimaldo and the Catalan side of Betis, Álex Moreno, among the preferences of the technical secretariat. The first has the advantage of coming from Barcelona’s grassroots football, so his adaptation would be immediate as he is fully identified with Xavi’s system. However, the high expectations of Benfica, which is asking for ten million euros for a player whose contract ends next year, have paralyzed the operation. In the case of Moreno, negotiations have not yet begun, since Celta’s response to a possible departure of their footballer is awaited.
In any case, the folder on the left side is not a priority for the club: Right now he is focused on certifying the renewals of Ronald Araújo, Ousmane Dembélé and Gavi, which could become official this April. And then, the next challenge would be to get a top 9: after Mohamed Salah fell, remain on pole: the Norwegian Erlin Haaland, the most desired by all, and the Polish Robert Lewandowski, the best possible alternative on the market if the Dortmund striker does not finally come.