With the summer transfer window approaching, the left-back position has once again become a subject of debate at FC Barcelona.
Alejandro Balde has seen a dip in his form, leading to him not playing in the last two matches, with Hansi Flick preferring Gerard Martin and Joao Cancelo, with the latter only on loan until the end of the season.
As such, the Blaugrana are keeping an eye on potential options to strengthen the left-back position in the summer.
Nathaniel Brown on Barcelona’s radar
In this context, according to BILD (h/t SPORT), Barcelona’s sporting department has turned its attention to Nathaniel Brown, who plays for Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Bundesliga.
At 22, Brown has emerged as one of the major revelations of the ongoing Bundesliga season. In 31 appearances this season, he has managed an impressive return of six assists and three goals from the left-back position.
His high-level performances did not go unnoticed by Julian Nagelsmann, who handed him his official debut for the German national team last October in a World Cup qualifier against Luxembourg.
On Barcelona’s radar. (Photo by Inaki Esnaola/Getty Images)
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick is said to be a strong admirer of his compatriot and, according to the report, has requested his signing for the upcoming summer window.
The coach’s aim is to ensure greater squad depth and competition across all positions, offering Brown a genuine opportunity to compete for a starting role if his performances justify it.
Barcelona are familiar with his qualities. In this season’s Champions League clash between the Catalans and Eintracht, he played the full 90 minutes and provided the assist for the goal scored by Ansgar Knauff.
Competition for Brown
Securing Brown’s services from Germany will not be straightforward for Barcelona this summer. As per the report, several leading European clubs have contacted his representatives in recent weeks.
Manchester City and Liverpool appear to be best placed to sign the German international, while Real Madrid and Arsenal are monitoring the situation closely.
It is expected to become a prolonged race, with the transfer fee potentially rising to €65 million, a figure that Barcelona are not currently willing to meet.