38-year-old Barcelona defender’s renewal stuck as club unable to make final decision

Few transfers have been celebrated as much as Dani Alves’ return to Barcelona in the winter. At 38, the Brazilian joined the Catalan giants on a six-month deal and has lived up to expectations, and more.

As such, it is not surprising to see that Alves is vying for a new contract. With the World Cup scheduled for the winter this year, the veteran defender wants to play regularly to be in contention for the Brazilian national team.

While Xavi himself has hinted at his approval for a new deal, Adria Albets has reported that there are people at Barcelona not in favour of renewing Alves.

They are, in fact, looking to sign a right-back in the summer, with Noussair Mazraoui the prime candidate. The Ajax defender is set to become a free agent in the summer and Barça have tabled a €5 million salary package for him.

At this point, it would be important to mention that Alves has managed to bench 21-year-old Sergino Dest, even though he has not made the cut for the Europa League squad.

The club is also looking for reinforcements on the left side, with Jordi Alba touching 33 this month.

Alves has scored a goal and given three assists in eight games this season while averaging a sensational 2.6 key passes per game. He was also heavily involved in Barça’s 4-0 routing of Osasuna on the weekend, creating four chances.

BU’s take

Alves is turning 39 in a month, and has managed to adapt to the modern game in a spectacular way.

His vision from deep against the low-blocks of La Liga are an incredible asset, and there is little to no doubt about the positive energy, experience, and leadership he brings to the team.

Not to forget that he is the lowest-paid player in the league. Consequently, Barça should ideally face no economic trouble with his renewal.