Target : David Alaba. A solution to our defensive problems? Opinion

Under Ronald Koeman, Barça have shown great progress this season. Yet it’s evident that the team will not evolve without the necessary reinforcements. With a practically non-existent budget, Joan Laporta will have to look at some cheap yet quality options to strengthen the squad. Of course, the first position that needs new faces is the CB spot. And one stopper who has been linked to Barça is David Alaba.

Alaba’s contract with Bayern Munich expires in the summer, so we wouldn’t have to pay a single penny to his current employer in order to bring him in. That’s a steal for a man of David’s calibre. Alaba is versatile, while his awareness and ball control also stand out. He has recently been used as a centre-back, and the Austrian has done well, though his defensive positioning leaves plenty to be desired. 

Alaba would be a perfect fit for our 3 at the back formation. As we have seen with Oscar Mingueza, Ronald Koeman demands a lot of activity from the wide centre-backs, allowing them to constantly support the wingbacks in attack. Unfortunately, Clément Lenglet just doesn’t fit into that category. David Alaba, on the other hand, is always willing to bomb forward, being comfortable in central and wide areas of the pitch.

Many teams want him

Nevertheless, luring David Alaba to Barça will be a difficult task. He is in high demand among the big clubs and, as sad as it sounds, Barcelona isn’t the most attractive destination at the minute. Moreover, his wage ultimatum will be difficult to meet given the club’s financial state. 

In my eyes, there are few better options than David Alaba on the transfer market. It looks like Spanish teams get his preference, so Barça and Real Madrid have a clear advantage in the race to sign the Austrian. For someone that fits our system so well, adjusting our wage budget would be very much worth it.