Barcelona are closing in on a deal to sign Joao Cancelo from Manchester City, but not everyone at the club is excited about the transfer.
Xavi has pushed for a move for the defender, who will join on loan with an option to buy, and the 29-year-old will arrive as a vastly experienced full-back who is one of the best in the world in his position.
Whilst there may be a lot of excitement amongst Blaugrana fans at the prospect of Cancelo, who was described as “world-class” during his loan spell at Bayern Munich last summer, sporting director Deco is reportedly unhappy about the move.
A report from SPORT has claimed that the director, who will fully take over duties from Mateu Alemany, would have preferred to sign Real Valladolid defender Ivan Fresneda.
The teenager has been linked with a host of clubs around Europe following a stunning breakthrough season, and Deco was seemingly keen on signing the Spaniard.
Deco believes that Fresneda would have been the perfect long-term option for Barcelona, and with a £17m release clause, his price tag will never be lower.
Cancelo or Fresneda?
The two right-backs could not be more different in profile, even though both are of excellent quality. Fresneda is still raw, having played for less than one La Liga season for a side who were relegated. Cancelo meanwhile, has won major trophies for Man City, Bayern Munich, Benfica and Juventus, and also has a lot of experience in La Liga with Valencia.
Whilst Cancelo may have been the better short-term signing, it is unclear what the future holds for Barcelona at fullback. If they had signed Fresneda instead, it seemed likely that they would be well set in the position for years to come.
Deco’s desire was outweighed by Xavi’s insistence on having a more experienced option in the position. With La Masia graduate Alejandro Balde on the opposing flank, perhaps Xavi is right to want some more pedigree in his backline.
There are positives and negatives to both deals, and whilst Fresneda could be a star in the future, Cancelo has a higher chance of succeeding this season.