Why are Barcelona looking at the Monaco right-back Vanderson?
The Brazilian full-back is a target for the Catalan club if the cost is affordable
Vanderson de Oliveira Santos has burst onto the agenda at Barcelona once again. SPORT revealed the Monaco right-back is one of the names being considered by the club to strengthen in the summer and, in recent weeks, he has been gaining ground in the 'casting' being carried out by the technical secretariat.
The Brazilian, who will be 22 in June, is seen by the club as a candidate to become a top player in his position. The former Gremio player has everything to succeed at Spotify Camp Nou: he gets up and down the flank, is quick, attacking, has good technique, defensive balance and a winning mentality.
It is true that he has yet to mature and that this is his first full season in Ligue 1 (he joined in the 2022 January transfer window) -- and also that he is having a somewhat irregular season.
In this sense, he has also seen his progression interrupted by knee problems that have left him out of action for a month. However, there is unanimous agreement at the Ciutat Esportiva that he is a great full-back ready for the big games.
His attacking performances are so good that his coach, Philippe Clement, has used him as a right winger in the last two games to exploit his creativity and his remarkable runs into the box.
Another of the aspects to evaluate is financial. Beyond the price, which will have to be negotiated with Monaco because the Brazilian has a contract until 2027, his salary would be in line with the policy of budgetary restrictions that Barça have to face in order to comply with Financial Fair Play.
The reality is that in order to reinforce the squad and register new contracts, Barça must reduce the wage bill by €200 million. For this reason, the club is already talking about taking "drastic measures" before June 30, when the current season expires.
The former Gremio player and his camp are already aware of Barça's interest. In the next few days, his agents are expected to visit the Ciutat Esportiva to clarify the situation.
It is the same modus operandi that the club has already done with the other candidates to reinforce a key position: João Cancelo (who is at Bayern Munich until the end of the season and could come on loan from City), Juan Foyth (Villarreal), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich) and Thomas André Meunier (Borussia Dortmund).
