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Barcelona have reportedly shortlisted three targets to help shore up their defence ahead of the 2020/21 season, as per reports in Spain.
The Blaugrana's defensive struggles were on full display in the 2019/20 LaLiga Santander campaign, during which they conceded a whopping 38 goals in as many games. Newly-crowned Spanish champions Real Madrid were on the other end of the spectrum, letting in just 25 goals in the season.
Barcelona's tally is bettered by a few other sides in the league as well, including Sevilla, Getafe, and Atletico Madrid. So it comes as no surprise that the Catalans want to bring in defensive reinforcements ahead of the upcoming campaign.
Barcelona's defensive targets for 2020/21 revealed
As per Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are monitoring the situations of David Alaba, Juan Bernat, and Eric Garcia. All three defenders are set to be out of contracts in the summer of 2021, which is another reason why they have been shortlisted.
Barcelona's financial struggles, mainly due to COVID-19, have been well-documented. They are tracking the progress of these players who are soon to be out of contracts with the hope of luring them to the Nou Camp for cut-price fees.
David Alaba of Bayern Munich has made headlines all over Europe in the recent past due to his extraordinary wage demands to renew his deal with the German champions. The Austrian international, represented by the notorious Pini Zahavi, is said to have asked for an all-inclusive salary of €20m-a-year at the Allianz Arena.
Whether or not Barcelona can realistically match his request, it is not yet known whether they can afford his transfer fee. Alaba is currently one of the Bavarians' longest-serving players, and Bayern would understandably request a reasonable transfer fee for him.
Juan Bernat, formerly of Bayern Munich and Valencia, is a more realistic target for the Catalans. They have been on the lookout for a player to deputise for the ageing Jordi Alba. With Junior Firpo reportedly set to depart from the Nou Camp and Barcelona facing a shortage at left-back, Bernat could be an ideal replacement.
The Spaniard is currently on the books of Paris Saint-Germain and could be open to a move back to his homeland. The French champions' interest in Alex Telles of Porto could be another decisive factor in this deal, should it go through. With just a year left on his contract and another left-back being potentially purchased by PSG, it could be a relatively more straightforward operation to carry out.
La Masia graduate Eric Garcia is said to be a more pressing concern for Barcelona in comparison to the other two names. The Spanish starlet, currently under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, is regarded as one of the most promising young defenders in Europe.
With veteran Barcelona defender Gerard Pique turning 34 next year and Samuel Umtiti's perennial injury woes, the Catalans only have Clement Lenglet to look to in terms of senior defenders. Garcia is a polished passer of the ball with an excellent reading of the game, making him an ideal player to bring to the Nou Camp. At 19, he can realistically give Barcelona a reliable long-term option and help them ease into life after Pique.
It remains to be seen how many of these targets Barcelona will be able to achieve. Still, one thing is for sure — Barcelona's defensive unit could look vastly different in the upcoming season.
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