5 players who can replace Jordi Alba at Barcelona

In his nine-year stay at Barcelona, Jordi Alba has managed to carve out a highly successful career, winning every trophy under the sun in club football with the Catalan giants. The Blaugrana's €14 million investment in their former academy graduate has paid off handsomely, with the pacy left-back giving his all to his boyhood club. However, at 32, the steep decline experienced by Jordi Alba perfectly embodies Barcelona's persistent troubles at the back.

Barcelona will try to buy a replacement for Jordi Alba next year

Since 2016, the Blaugrana have spent a combined total of €36.5 million in an attempt to find an ideal replacement for Jordi Alba. Lucas Digne and Junior Firpo were purchased in succession to act as a cover for the Spaniard and eventually inherit his throne at Barcelona.

At the time of writing, Digne regularly starts for an improved Everton side, even captaining his team on certain occasions. Firpo, on the other hand, recently swapped Camp Nou for Elland Road, having spent two lackluster seasons with Barcelona. With no proven entity to provide cover for an aging Jordi Alba, the 26-time Spanish league champions are reportedly eyeing the market for a potential successor.

With the constant surfacing of such rumors, Jordi Alba's time at his boyhood club seems to be marching towards an inevitable end. Keeping his invaluable contributions in mind, let's take a look at five players who could take Jordi Alba's place at Barcelona:

#5 Robin Gosens (Atalanta)

Portugal v Germany - UEFA Euro 2020: Group F

One of the many breakout stars of an exciting Atalanta side, Robin Gosens has experienced a sudden rise to prominence. While Gosens had been slumming it out in the Dutch league for many years, his transfer to Atalanta really put the German wing-back on the map.

An exceptional Euro 2020 campaign, where he single-handedly dismantled the Portuguese side, shot the 27-year-old to superstardom, attracting multiple suitors. Due to his remarkable offensive contributions, similar to Jordi Alba's output, Barcelona have emerged as a potential destination for the German.

According to various sources, the Blaugrana were heavily linked with Gosens in the summer. With Barcelona clearly eyeing him as a possible replacement for Jordi Alba, Atalanta are holding on to him in an attempt to make maximum profit. While a recent long-term injury might sway his suitors away, Gosens remains a top-class potential option on the left side of the defense for Barcelona.

#4 Juan Miranda (Real Betis)

Miranda recently joined Real Betis from Barcelona

Following an impressive loan spell with Real Betis in 2020, Juan Miranda joined Los Verdiblancos on a permanent transfer this summer. A product of La Masia, Miranda was allowed to leave Barcelona, having been offered minimal chances in his short duration with the senior squad.

The youngster made 22 La Liga appearances under Manuel Pellegrini last season, solidifying his position as one of the brightest prospects at Estadio Benito Villamarín. The 21-year-old left-back has shared minutes with veteran Alex Moreno so far this season, with Pellegrini aiming to gradually transition him into the first-team.

However, Barcelona cheekily added a clause in his sale that reserves 40 per cent of the rights of any future transfer for them. Moreover, the Blaugrana have a right to first refusal on re-signing Miranda, making a potential return to Camp Nou in the future, possible. Given his current trajectory, the Spaniard could end up replacing Jordi Alba at Barcelona.

Also read: 5 players Barcelona should have never sold

#3 Alejandro Balde

The current understudy of Jordi Alba, Alejandro Balde is right there among the upcoming batch of young La Masia talents at Barcelona. Following the departure of Junior Firpo to Leeds United, Balde is the only designated left-back at Camp Nou, aside from Alba, of course.

The 18-year-old prospect has garnered a lot of praise from the Barcelona faithful due to his impressive outings. A pacy defender with commendable close ball control, similar to Jordi Alba, Balde has made two appearances for the senior squad this season. Elaborating on his immense potential, former Barcelona Under-19s coach Franc Artiga stated:

“Balde is perfect for Barca. If they were to look for a full-back in the market, they would sign a player like Balde."

Considering Barcelona's ongoing financial predicament, incorporating Balde into the first-team setup will be a logical choice for the club. The stage is set for the young Spaniard to take the reigns from Jordi Alba.

#2 Alejandro Grimaldo

Grimaldo (R) recently dismantled his former side in the Champions League

Another Spanish prodigy who received his footballing education from the esteemed La Masia, Alex Grimaldo has thrived since leaving Barcelona for Benfica. Convinced of his boyhood club's reluctance to trust their youth, the youngster boldly decided to ditch the Blaugrana in 2016.

Since then, Grimaldo has gone on to forge a formidable career at Benfica, establishing his place at the core of Jorge Jesus' side. Tipped to succeed Jordi Alba at Barcelona, the 26-year-old defender has amassed widespread acclaim due to his consistent performances.

His exceptional passing and crossing abilities peaked interest from Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, who were reportedly keen to bring him to the Etihad this summer. Grimaldo's style of play clearly reflects his La Masia background. With Barcelona currently relying on homegrown talents amidst their monetary crisis, Alex Grimaldo could be an ideal replacement for Jordi Alba.

#1 Jose Gaya

Gaya is heavily linked with Barcelona to replace Jordi Alba

The player that Barcelona have been linked with the most, Jose Gaya has been touted as Jordi Alba's successor at Camp Nou by several footballing experts. The current Valencia captain is one of the last remaining talents at Mestalla.

Under the stewardship of Peter Lim, the Bats have cheaply lost out on multiple stars, including Dani Parejo, Kangin Lee and Ferran Torres. If reports are to be believed, Jose Gaya is next in line to depart a dwindling Valencia side, with Barcelona being his most likely destination.

The 26-year-old Spaniard will follow in Jordi Alba's footsteps if he chooses to accept an offer from the Catalan giants. Alba, who was a budding youngster in Barcelona's academy, joined the Blaugrana from Valencia in 2012 for a nominal fee of €14 million. Barcelona have the chance to acquire a seasoned superstar in Jose Gaya, who'll settle in perfectly if the proposed deal materializes.

Also read: Ranking the 10 best players aged under 23 at Barcelona

About the author

Apoorv is a journalist who covers football at Sportskeeda. Love for the sport made Apoorv ditch a career in technology and instead work in a profession that allows him to stay connected to football. He cannot have enough of tracking and sharing trends and looks forward to each day so that he can craft engaging narratives for readers.

A Culer in and out, Apoorv loves storytelling. He has analyzed football for a long time and in spite of having his favorites, he doesn't let them interfere with his reporting.

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Edited by Nived Zenith