Barcelona Transfer News: Raphael Guerreiro, Sidnei, Pepe Reina, Latest Rumours

Barcelona are reportedly ready to bolster their defensive options this summer, with Lorient left-back Raphael Guerreiro and Deportivo la Coruna’s Sidnei linked with moves to the Spanish champions.

According to Lluis Miguelsanz of Sport, the Blaugrana have been in touch with the French club about the 22-year-old full-back, who has excelled in Ligue 1 this term. “The Catalan club have been following him since last season, and the reports have been excellent,” Miguelsanz added.

Additionally, AS (h/t Sport) have suggested Sidnei is actually in Barcelona to complete a medical ahead of a potential summer transfer. The 26-year-old has been on loan at Espanyol in the past and is therefore familiar with the city; it’s noted he could be a replacement for Marc Bartra, who has struggled for minutes in the first team this term.

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Guerreiro is a player who looks set to shine at the UEFA European Championships this summer, having been named in the Portugal squad. Here are some of his best moments on the domestic front this term:

The Lorient man loves to surge forward and is well capable of making an impact in the final third. He’s the kind of player who would potentially be a brilliant deputy to Jordi Alba, who has struggled to show his best this term with little competition for his spot in the team.

As noted by Spanish football expert Rafael Hernandez, while he scored a key goal in the Copa del Rey final at the weekend, Alba has been criticised by a lot of supporters:

At the core of the defence, some reinforcements could also be important, especially if Bartra were to depart. Sidnei is a player proven in La Liga too, having been a key man for Deportivo this term, and the kind of defender who would offer a different option at the back for Barca.

With the likes of Javier Mascherano and Gerard Pique also in the ranks, not to mention Jeremy Mathieu and Thomas Vermaelen, for the Brazilian, this may not be the best move for his career prospects. Bartra, after all, played just 235 minutes of La Liga football in 2015-16; Sidnei will want to be on the field much more frequently.

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ESPN FC’s Dermot Corrigan, while shocked at the links to the Blaugrana, wouldn’t be totally surprised to see the Deportivo centre-back touted as an option for other illustrious clubs:

In what would be another surprising move, Sport also reported agent Manuel Garcia Quillon has offered his client, veteran goalkeeper Pepe Reina, to Barcelona.

The former Liverpool and Bayern Munich man is an ex-Barcelona player, having been involved in the setup in 2000-01 and 2002-03. Now it seems he’s keen on a return to the Camp Nou in the twilight of his career, with speculation failing to subside about the future of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, per Sky Sports' Guillem Balague.

Here is a look at some of the goalkeeper’s best moments since he made the switch to Napoli:

While he was once one of the very best stoppers in world football during his heyday at Liverpool, the 33-year-old is no longer at the elite level. Reina’s shot-stopping, distribution and command of his area were once on point, whereas now he seems to hesitate in his decision-making at crucial times in matches.

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As a back-up option, he would be a fine capture, although Barcelona would only surely pursue a deal if Ter Stegen were to depart the club. If Claudio Bravo and Reina were to be the goalkeeping options for 2016-17, while the team would be in fine shape in the immediacy, they’d be without a stopper who can provide longevity between the sticks.