La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are reportedly considering 31-year-old Celta Vigo right-back Hugo Mallo as an alternative to Cesar Azpilicueta.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Hugo Mallo is the subject of interest from Barcelona over a possible move in the summer transfer window. The Catalan giants are eyeing the 31-year-old Celta Vigo full-back as an alternative to priority target Cesar Azpilicueta.
Hugo Mallo has been with Celta Vigo for over two decades, spending his entire professional career with the Galician club. The Spaniard made his first-team debut as an 18-year-old in 2009 and has been a pivotal player for his team for the past decade, playing the most top-flight games ever for Celta Vigo.
The 31-year-old has turned out over 400 times for Celta Vigo thus far, chipping in with 12 goals and 27 assists. And Mallo’s performances for the Galician outfit have earned him the status of being one of the best full-backs in La Liga while capturing the attention of Barcelona.
The Catalan giants are in the market for a right-back in the summer transfer window after allowing Dani Alves to depart from Camp Nou for the second time earlier this month. Alves’s exit has left Xavi Hernandez with Sergino Dest and Sergi Roberto as the only right-back options at his disposal.
But while Dest faces an uncertain future at Camp Nou, Roberto has regressed considerably in the last couple of years. Barcelona will thus need to invest in a right-back in the summer transfer window, with Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta their priority target.
But Thomas Tuchel recently suggested that he could block Azpilicueta’s move to Barcelona after getting annoyed by the Catalan club’s tactics. So it behoves Barcelona to keep a contingency plan in place if they fail to secure the services of the Chelsea captain. Mallo has thus emerged as an alternative for Azpilicueta.
The 31-year-old has over a decade of experience in La Liga, so he might not take long to settle down at Camp Nou. But Barcelona will only turn towards the Celta Vigo full-back if Azpilicueta remains at Chelsea beyond the summer transfer window.
