Barcelona Transfer News: Aleix Vidal Prepared to Listen to January Exit Offers

Barcelona's Aleix Vidal is reportedly set to seek a move away from the club in January if he does not see an improvement in playing time.

According to Catalan daily Sport, Vidal is hoping to stay at the Camp Nou, but if he doesn't get more minutes on the pitch, he's informed the club of his intention to leave.

The Spaniard hasn't made manager Luis Enrique's matchday squad for five successive games and has made just one appearance in La Liga this season, the 2-1 defeat to Alaves.

Vidal arrived at Barca in the summer of 2015, with the club hoping he could be Dani Alves' long-term successor at right-back. Due to their transfer ban, he was unable to play for the club until January this year, but he finished last season having made just nine league appearances after struggling to replicate the form he showed at Sevilla.

Grup 14's Diana Kristinne believes his performances have been lacking:

As a result, he now finds himself behind Sergi Roberto and even Javier Mascherano in the competition for the right-back slot, as noted by Spanish football expert Sergi Dominguez during the Blaugrana's 5-1 win over Leganes:

The 27-year-old hasn't been helped by Roberto's remarkable rise in recent times. Roberto has shown himself to be a strong candidate to replace Alves and has cemented himself in the starting XI.

Football journalist Rafael Hernandez has been impressed with the 24-year-old:

"

Sergi Roberto went from Stoke’s next signing to a proper underrated world class all rounder. In a single year.

— Rafael Hernández (@RafaelH117) September 24, 2016"

"

Sergi Roberto has turned into the Spanish version of Alaba with a bit more pace. If you had told me this a year ago…

— Rafael Hernández (@RafaelH117) September 21, 2016"

Vidal's struggle for form could be a result of his conversion into a full-back from being a winger.

He possesses plenty of pace and is capable of scoring goals and creating chances—he notched six goals and 11 assists in his year at Sevilla—but he perhaps lacks the defensive instincts of a natural full-back. Even Alves, for all his marauding up field, has them.

Per Sport, Barca have sought to reassure him he is a part of their plans, and Luis Enrique has also offered him hope.

The boss said: "[Vidal's] training well and trying to rectify the situation. It’s already happened with various players that they weren't in my plans and then ended up being regulars. If there’s a manager open to situations changing, it's me."

It would seem he'd be more suited to a position in the front three, but given he has to compete with Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Neymar and Denis Suarez for minutes, it seems unlikely he'll be given time to impress there.

Unless he can show he can convince as a defender, a January move could well be on the cards.