Barcelona eye Memphis Depay – Danilo swap deal with Juventus

Barcelona are reportedly considering offering Memphis Depay in a deal to sign Juventus defender Danilo in the current transfer window.

According to Calciomercatoweb, Barcelona and Juventus could enter a shock swap deal involving Memphis Depay and Danilo in the ongoing transfer window as they look to address issues in their respective squads.

Barcelona are on the lookout for a new right-back after bidding goodbye to Dani Alves earlier this summer upon the expiry of his contract. They have identified Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta as their top target but will need to shell out a significant fee to secure the 32-year-old’s signing.

So, it seems like the Blaugrana are exploring other possible alternatives, with Danilo emerging as an option. A former Real Madrid defender, the 30-year-old Brazilian spent two years with Barcelona’s arch-rivals between 2015 and 2017 before joining Manchester City, where he played for two seasons. Having joined Juventus in 2019, Danilo has been a regular in the side at the Allianz Stadium.

To date, Danilo has made 109 appearances for the Bianconeri, scoring seven goals and setting up five more. The right-back has shown his versatility, having been deployed as a centre-back at times or even in midfield. And it seems like the 30-year-old has admirers in Barcelona, who are contemplating a move for the Brazilian international.

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As iterated earlier, a new right-back is on the agenda for the Catalan heavyweights, and they might move for Danilo. But instead of offering a cash deal, Barcelona are reportedly assessing the possibility of sending Memphis Depay the other way as part of the deal to sign the 30-year-old defender.

Depay joined Barcelona only last summer, but is set to become surplus to requirements soon, with the club signing Raphinha and Ousmane Dembele, while also pushing to add Robert Lewandowski to their roster. Furthermore, the 28-year-old Dutchman, who scored 13 goals last season, is in the last year of his contract.

So, it makes sense for Barcelona to cash in on Depay this summer. Tottenham have shown an interest, but it has not been reciprocated by the Netherlands international, following his struggles in England with Manchester United. Juventus are keen on signing him and can offer Champions League football as well. So, a move to Italy could appeal to the 28-year-old.

There is nothing concrete about this move yet, and it should be taken with a pinch of salt, considering that Barcelona remain in talks with Chelsea to sign Azpilicueta. But if a move for the Spaniard does not materialise things could change.