Barça line up Benfica left-back Alex Grimaldo as possible summer signing
The ex-La Masia defender is liked by Ronald Koeman and his coaching staff
Barcelona have struggled to find a left-back since signing Jordi Alba in 2012. Back-ups have come and gone but none have lived up to the billing.
Junior Firpo is the latest to try his luck, but the former Real Betis defender looks set to leave this summer after failing to acclimatise to Camp Nou.
Barça, therefore, are back at the start, looking for competition and/or a replacement for Alba, who's entering the final years of his career.
Diario AS report that Alejandro Grimaldo's name is on the table. The Benfica left-back is liked by coach Ronald Koeman, but a deal will be difficult.
The La Masia graduate's contract runs until 2023 and the Portuguese club want 20 million euros for the player, who turns 26 in September.
Grimaldo joined Barça in 2008 and debuted for the B team in 2011, becoming the youngest player to do so aged 15 years and 349 days.
However, he left for Benfica in 2015 in search of regular first-team football, which he has found in Portugal.
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