Barcelona‘s right-back struggles have been a talking point for some time, and they were evident in their recent Copa del Rey defeat to Real Madrid. Despite some past success against Vinicius Junior, Ronald Araujo couldn’t contain the Brazilian forward who went on to score one and create two goals for Karim Benzema. While Araujo was not poor in his performance, it is evident that Xavi Hernandez is relying heavily on him due to a lack of natural right-back options in the first team squad. Barcelona must address this issue if they hope to compete at the highest level in the future.
The right-back position has been a thorn in Barcelona’s side for many years, ever since Dani Alves left the club in 2016. Despite signing the likes of Nelson Semedo, Aleix Vidal and Sergino Dest, they have all failed to fill Alves’ shoes. This summer, Xavi will undoubtedly want to rectify the situation, but the club’s financial issues could hinder their progress. Nonetheless, Barcelona still seem to be making moves towards finding a solution, with reports of a meeting held with Jeremie Frimpong’s agent. However, they face stiff competition from Manchester United and Bayern Munich for the Bayer Leverkusen defender, which could make the pursuit all the more challenging.
Whenever you talk about attacking right backs, Frimpong’s name tends to crop up pretty frequently, and for good reason. He has mastered his craft at an incredibly young age, and it’s difficult to find many players who can match his stats. Not only that, but he has managed to impress in one of the most difficult leagues in Europe, under the tutelage of Xabi Alonso no less. So, it comes as no surprise that Barcelona would be keeping tabs on him. Frimpong’s style of play would fit right in at Camp Nou, and with his potential, he could form quite the partnership with youngster Alejandro Balde on the opposite flank. It’s true that his inclusion could lead to a dip in defensive quality, but Barcelona can count on him to contribute immensely in attack.
As a highly coveted young player, the question has always been whether or not he is ready for the big leagues. Many doubt his defensive abilities, but given his age and room for growth, there is certainly potential. A move to one of the biggest clubs in Europe, such as Barcelona, could provide a perfect opportunity for improvement. However, the reality is that financial restrictions may prevent this from happening anytime soon. As other clubs wait in the wings, it remains to be seen where this star will end up.
