Marcos Alonso leads Jose Gaya in Barça's hunt for a new left-back

Barcelona president Joan Laporta dined with the Valencia hierarchy in the Catalan city on Tuesday, with Jose Luis Gaya one of the names on the table.

The Valencia left-back is out of contract in 2023 and has a renewal offer, although according to leaked audios of club president Anil Murthy, they would be willing to sell him.

Barça want a left-back to compete with Jordi Alba and Gaya has been a long-term target for the club.

However, SPORT have learned that the preferred option, at this moment, is the Chelsea left-back Marcos Alonso, ahead of Gaya.

In fact, talks to sign the Spanish defender on a three-year deal are advanced, pending Alonso talking with Chelsea to let him leave this summer.

Alonso also has a contract until 2023 and has also been approached by Atletico Madrid, but he wants to move to Camp Nou and hopes Chelsea will negotiate.

Barça want to strengthen in many areas this summer and don't plan to invest a lot on left-back, given Alba is still at the club.

That is why Alonso is preferred: Barça believe he will be cheaper than Gaya and that the English club, who are in the process of being taken over, will let him leave and that he will accept a lower wage.