Barcelona 'ready to move for Alfonso Pedraza next summer'

With the Catalan giants going through a turbulent financial period, they have been forced to focus on loan deals, free transfers and low-price transfers.

Xavi was still able to sufficiently strengthen his first-team squad ahead of this campaign, yet the blooding of a number of academy graduates highlights the lack of depth in the senior ranks.

La Liga has already acknowledged that Barcelona will have to make cutbacks for 2024-25, a consequence of lowering their wage cap.

Continuing to use Marcos Alonso - who is known to be on a lower wage than the majority of his teammates and can play in more than one position - would theoretically make sense.

However, according to Fichajes, Barcelona have their sights set on securing the signature of Pedraza.

Such has been the 27-year-old's form during 2023-24 that he was handed his debut for Spain during the international break.

Pedraza has chipped in with two assists from his eight La Liga outings this season, and has a superb 11 strikes and 22 assists from 174 outings for Villarreal in all competitions.

The long-serving Yellow Submarine man has a contract until 2026, theoretically making it difficult for Barcelona to negotiate terms with their counterparts at Villarreal.

Nevertheless, it is suggested that the Spanish giants wish to increase the competition for places at left-back, the current incumbent being Alejandro Balde.

Xavi is heavily reliant on the recently-turned 20-year-old, who has 10 starts and one substitute outing to his name in all competitions this season.

Although Alonso has made two starts and three substitute outings, he will turn 33 in December, and it may be deemed that, if he is to remain at the club, that he is viewed as a backup centre-back.

Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo is also capable of featuring on the left, but the Portugal international is only at Barcelona on loan.