Aleix Vidal’s future at Camp Nou is in jeopardy, and it is almost a certainty that the defender will leave Barcelona at the end of the season.

According to Spanish media outlet Sport, a potential swap deal may be on the cards between FC Barcelona and Valencia. Camp Nou outcast Aleix Vidal looks set to depart to the Mestalla with Joao Cancelo heading the other way.

After impressing for La Liga strugglers Almeria, Vidal took the step up when he moved to Sevilla. After making a total of 120 appearances for his former side, the Red and Whites snapped up the young and upcoming defender for a meagre €3 million.

BARCELONA, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 10: Aleix Vidal of FC Barcelona runs with the ball during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Deportivo Alaves at Camp Nou stadium on September 10, 2016 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
BARCELONA, SPAIN – SEPTEMBER 10: Aleix Vidal of FC Barcelona runs with the ball during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Deportivo Alaves at Camp Nou stadium on September 10, 2016 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Vidal enjoyed his first season at Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán where he made a total of 31 appearances in all competitions. His stellar performances for Sevilla did not go unnoticed as he was snapped up by Spanish giants Barcelona just a year after he left Almeria. The then Sevilla boss Unai Emery ensured that the club made a substantial profit from his sale, letting him go for €18 million.

Despite joining at the start of the season, he had to wait until January to make his first competitive appearance for the Catalan side. Due to a FIFA induced transfer ban, Barcelona’s new signings were not permitted to play for them.

He came on as a second half substitute against Espanyol to make his club debut, and things looked bright for the forward converted into a full-back. But, since 6th January 2016 and now, Vidal has just tallied 10 appearances for the club. His performances have been way below the expectations of the manager and the fans and is duly being sidelined.

Enrique is looking to offload the player and has narrowed down Joao Cancelo as his potential replacement. The 22-year-old Valencia right-back has been in great form since joining the Oranges, and could be a great investment for the future.

The right-back is one of the paciest defenders in La Liga and has a good footballing brain. He is good with the ball at his feet and is equally good at winning it back. He is also known to put in a shift going forward and is an exquisite crosser.

At Camp Nou, he could give Sergi Roberto a run for his money, and probably make the right-back role his own once he gets accustomed to the Blaugrana way of playing.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Recommended

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.