Barcelona opinion: Should Barca sign Guerreiro?

According to a report from Marca, Barcelona are considering a move for Borussia Dortmund left-back Raphael Guerreiro. The Portuguese’s contract with the German outfit is due to expire at the end of the next season and the Catalans are pushing harder to get his services.

Guerreiro – a versatile player

The 25-year-old has been a consistent performer for Dortmund since joining them in 2015. In the recently concluded season, Guerreiro bagged 6 goals and 6 assists in all competitions, a brilliant stat for a full-back. 

The former Lorient man can also play as a midfielder, a role which he embraced under Thomas Tuchel. He has earned 42 caps for Portugal’s senior-team.

Why should Barca sign Guerreiro?

One of the biggest tasks for Ernesto Valverde ahead of the next season will be sorting out their defensive reinforcements, especially the left-back void, currently occupied by Jordi Alba. 

The Spaniard became highly reliant throughout the campaign, owing to the lack of back-up options. In fact, the 30-year-old’s overwhelming work rate reflected in Barca’s defeat in the Champion League semi-final at Anfield, where Alba failed to spark any sort of inspiration.

Marc Cucurella was seen as the long-time successor of Alba until fellow Spanish outfit Eibar decided to buy him after an impressive loan spell.  Reserves left-back Juan Miranda also couldn’t make use of the opportunities.

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Given that, Guerreiro looks an optimistic solution, who can help Valverde lessen the burden of Alba. Furthermore, his all-round ability to play anywhere along the flanks makes him a valuable addition to the Catalans.

The ex-Caen player has enjoyed an average pass success percentage of 85 while making an average of 2 key passes. And this would be an advantage for Barca, who always embrace this possession-based playing style.

Meanwhile, his defensive stats also look decent and he is great at taking set-pieces.

Final verdict

The Spaniards can get the best out of a player like Guerreiro, who has a lot in his bag and comes with a reasonable price as well. Though he is expected to play second fiddle to Alba, who is in his 30’s, Guerreiro can win his chances by quick progression.