Barcelona eye right-back signing to compete with Jules Kounde
- Barcelona interested in Monaco full-back Vanderson
- Brazilian a key player for Ligue 1 side who don't want to sell
- 23-year-old's contract runs until 2028 but is admired by Deco
Barcelona are keeping an eye on the progress of Monaco right-back Vanderson, according to reports in Spain.
The Catalan giants have been extensively linked with Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford in January, but it appears that the 27-year-old will remain in the Premier League instead and join Aston Villa on loan.
Financial difficulties continue to plague Barcelona, who will not be moving back into their Spotify Camp Nou stadium on time amid delayed constructions works, but sporting director Deco remains on the lookout for players who can strengthen Hansi Flick's squad.
Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo report that Monaco's Vanderson is one such player to have caught the eye of the former Portugal playmaker, though it's stated up front that Monaco don't want to sell the 23-year-old.
Vanderson arrived in France in January 2022, joining Monaco for a fee in the region of €11m, and in addition to making over 100 appearances for the club, has emerged on the international scene for Brazil.
It's believed his value has more than tripled since arriving in Monaco, aided by his prominent showings in the Champions League. Barcelona actually came up against Vanderson earlier in the season, in the league phase of the reformatted competition, getting a close look at a player that would be competing for a first-team place with Jules Kounde.
Kounde's natural position is at centre-back, but he's been repurposed firstly by Xavi and now by Flick as a marauding right-back, capable of overlapping at pace and providing a genuine goal threat.
There have, though, been concerns over Barcelona's defensive capabilities this season, with some desperately low-quality performances undermining what was an impressive start to 2024/25.
Flick's side topped La Liga after a dozen games, but a string of dropped points have allowed Real Madrid to open up a four-point lead over Atletico Madrid and a six-point advantage over Barcelona.
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