Barcelona Transfer News: Latest on Dani Alves, Mateo Musacchio Rumours

Juventus will reportedly announce the transfer of Barcelona full-back Dani Alves this week, while the Catalans have been linked with Villarreal star Mateo Musacchio.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Espana, via Mundo Deportivo), Alves is set to sign a two-year deal with the Bianconeri, with an option for a third year. The Italian daily reports the news will be made official before the end of the week, while La Repubblica believes it should take less than 72 hours.

Per the report, Alves' wife Joana Sanz has already signed with an Italian modeling agency, and Alves' move to Turin seems imminent. The Bianconeri have also made it clear they believe Alves will join them soon―as shared by Football Italia, general manager Beppe Marotta didn't hide his optimism:

The 33-year-old has long been Barcelona's choice right-back, joining the club in 2008 and winning numerous trophies during his time in Catalunya. He played an essential role in six successful La Liga campaigns and helped the side win three UEFA Champions League trophies.

For the bulk of his career, Alves has been regarded as the world's best right-back, and while his performances appeared to take a dive two years ago, he reinvented himself and put together another fine campaign last season.

The Brazilian has always been dependent on his raw physical gifts and his incredible pace, but he has become a far more intelligent footballer in the last few seasons. Here's a look at some of his highlights:

But while the former Sevilla man has become one of the most iconic players of Barcelona's current generation, a split between both parties has never been far away. Per AS' Santi Gimenez, Alves has hinted at leaving for years, resulting in a handful of lucrative contract extensions.

According to Sport, the last one included a clause that would allow him to leave the club without any form of compensation. As a result, Juventus will not pay Barcelona a dime for Alves, even though he still has a full year left on his contract.

The news isn't all bad for the Blaugrana, who desperately need to clear money from the wage bill to ensure the likes of Neymar sign new contract, per Sport. La Liga blogger Rafael Hernandez wasn't surprised when he heard Alves could be on his way out:

The Brazil international is a perfect fit for Juventus' 3-5-2 formation, where he'll likely rotate with Stephan Lichtsteiner as the right wing-back. Patrice Evra and Alex Sandro rotated on the left side last season, and the two easily coexisted―the same will likely happen with Alves and Lichtsteiner.

Meanwhile, James Benson of the Daily Express (h/t Daily Mirror's Liam Corless) says Spanish reports claim Barcelona will battle the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal to land Villarreal's Musacchio.

OLI SCARFF/Getty Images

The 25-year-old started 12 matches in La Liga last season, but he made a big impression in Europe, where he played a big role in the Yellow Submarine's run to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals, per WhoScored.com.

Musacchio has long been touted as a big talent, and while his career hasn't taken off the way some predicted, he showed plenty of flashes last season. Injuries limited him at the start of the campaign, but by the end of the season, he had once again established himself as a rock in Villarreal's defence.

The Yellow Submarine won't part with their star on the cheap, however, and while Barcelona would benefit from adding a younger pair of legs to their defence, you have to think they could do better than the Argentinian. 

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