Reports: Barcelona close to sealing deal for Manchester United star

What's the story?

Barcelona have been on the lookout for some defensive reinforcement and Spanish outlet Marca (via The Express) claim that the Blaugrana are very close to confirming the signing of Manchester United star Daley Blind.

The Dutch international has made only 3 Premier League starts this season and with his contract running out in the summer, Barcelona are confident of signing the versatile defender for a cut-price deal of around £10 million in the January transfer window.

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Future Barcelona star?

It promises to be a busy transfer window for Jose Mourinho with the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Fellaini and Blind all expected to leave in the coming months. There have been no talks about extending Daley Blind's contract and it looks increasingly likely that the Dutch international will be playing in a new team in the very near future.

Barcelona, on the other hand, have been linked with a host of names in the transfer window. Antoine Greizmann and Coutinho are the high profile names being linked, but, Blind looks like the deal most likely to happen in the January transfer window.

The heart of the matter

Mascherano already has one foot out of the Barcelona door and Valverde is on the lookout for a quality replacement. With Blind's contract running out, the Dutch international is seen as a perfect replacement for the Argentine defender.

Also, Blind is capable of playing both as a centre-back and left-back and his versatility will definitely add more options for Valverde. Still only 28, Blind already has the experience of playing at a top club like Manchester United and with his price tag set to be only £10 million, this move looks like it will come to fruition in the January transfer window.

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Author's take

Daley Blind is definitely a quality squad player to have. Calm and composed on the ball, Blind is also known for his excellent positioning skills and reading of the game. With the 28-year-old available for a relatively low price of £10 million, Barcelona should do everything in their power to sign the Dutch international in the January transfer window.