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It is no secret that FC Barcelona have been unable to find a reliable right-back for years. Ernesto Valverde has tried to rotate between Nelson Semedo and Sergi Roberto, but both players have seemed to have failed to convince the manager so far.
This problem is further proof that Barcelona perhaps still need the presence of a Dani Alves-like right back. Perhaps, the Brazilian's 8 years spell at the Camp Nou has made Barcelona too comfortable at the position. Thus, they have struggled pretty much straight after the Brazilian decided to depart in 2016.
Roberto has done the job quite well at the flanks, but the Spaniard seems to be more comfortable as a midfielder. Semedo, on the other hand, has seen himself benched 37 times since he arrived from Benfica.
Hence, Barcelona might look to reinforce at the right-back slot in the upcoming window.
#3 Thomas Meunier
The 27-year-old was hugely successful for the Belgian National Team, scoring once and providing two assists for his team at the World Cup.
However, Meunier has failed to emulate his International success at PSG, as he started just 19 times in Ligue 1.
Dani Alves's presence has proven to be a hindrance for the Belgian's career. The Brazilian has played several times at PSG's right-hand side. Hence, Thomas Tuchel eventually forced Meunier to share his game time with the former Barcelona star throughout the campaign.
Nevertheless, the Meunier's capability as an elite defender cannot be questioned. A physically strong and offensive-minded right back, Meunier has scored three league goals and provided the same number of assists despite limited game time.
He is also excellent in aerial duels and can score goals on his own. It is understandable that Barcelona will prefer an offensive-minded player to fill their defense due to their possession-based philosophy. Thus, Meunier could be their perfect choice to achieve the objective.
#2 Joshua Kimmich
Many had doubted the former RB Leipzig starlet, when he was tasked to replace retired Bayern Munich legend Phillipp Lahm at the right back. However, he has gradually proven his doubters wrong, and he has even made the Bayern fans 'forget' about Lahm.
He has a quite similar playing style to Sergi Roberto, but Kimmich has been much more successful than his Barcelona counterpart. The 24-year-old also has settled as a right back and flourished at the position.
Kimmich has now racked up 2 goals and 12 assists in the domestic league alone, much better than any other defender in Bundesliga. He also was Bayern's standout player at the European stage, providing two assists from seven Champions League games and making 2.3 key passes on average per game.
His defensive stats are decent as he registered 1.6 tackles, 1.7 intercepts, and 1 clearance on average. Most importantly, he has the Barcelona DNA, as he was one of Pep Guardiola's best pupil at Bayern. His pinpoint passes and sublime crosses will also benefit Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez a lot.
#1 Joao Cancelo
The 24-year-old seems to have justified his massive €40 million transfer price since he joined Juventus, less than a year ago. A quick and agile defender with pinpoint passes, Cancelo has contributed 5 assists and 1 goal in all competitions for the Old Lady this campaign.
He also has formed a deadly partnership with fellow countryman Cristiano Ronaldo and even assisted the Portuguese superstar in Juve's Champions League away game against Ajax. Several critics have slammed his weak defensive play, but his defensive stats have suggested otherwise.
He registered an average of 1.9 tackles and 1.3 clearances per game, in all competitions, quite impressive for a defender from a top club. Cancelo also bears arguably the closest resemblance to Dani Alves, if compared to Kimmich or Meunier.
His Alves-like speed and crosses might be the attributes that Barcelona have missed for so long at right-back. He also has extensive experience in La Liga, as he was a Valencia player for three years before moving to Serie A. Hence, he would not take too much time to adapt at Barcelona.
