Barcelona are set to make an €18m bid for Manchester United’s versatile defender Daley Blind, according to Catalan newspaper Sport.
The report suggests Mourinho has made Blind available for transfer and Barcelona, who’ve been interested in the player since his Ajax days, are ready to take advantage of the situation.
Barcelona are reportedly looking for defensive reinforcements as there are question marks over the futures of the majority of their defenders.
Daniel Alves and Javier Mascherano have both been heavily linked with moves to Italian champions Juventus, whereas Thomas Vermaelen and Jeremy Mathieu could also move on this summer.
Marc Bartra’s future seems uncertain as well. His contract expires one year from now and his release clause has reportedly dropped to €8m due to a lack of first-team action.
It appears as though Barcelona are set for a complete defensive revamp and Blind could be a decent option for the Spanish champions.
The Dutch international, who played 56 times for United this season, has been criticized for his lack of positional awareness in the centre-back position, but still made a decent contribution in United finishing with the joint best defensive record in the league.
Blind doesn’t really suit Mourinho’s energetic, counter attacking tactics, but he’d fit right in at Barcelona. He’s a product of the famous Ajax academy and it’s no coincidence that he’s most comfortable in a possession-based style.
Blind needs more time on the ball and the Liga BBVA could be the perfect place for him.
