Barcelona are in a tricky situation right now regarding their goalkeeping options. Both Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Claudio Bravo want the same thing i.e. to become the undisputed Barcelona number one keeper. Luis Enrique had managed to keep both satisfied for a quite a while now by rotating them in La Liga and Cup games but the situation looks much worse now and it’s highly likely that the Blaugrana have to part ways with either of them.
Spanish media house Sport claims that Valencia keeper Diego Alves is being monitored by the Camp Nou side as a replacement for Bravo or ter Stegen depending on who puts an end to his Barcelona career this summer. Sport claims that the La Liga holders are more eager to hold onto 24-year-old ter Stegen who is a long-term project than Bravo who is 33 now.
With Barcelona’s desperation to keep their hold onto ter Stegen, it looks like Bravo is likely to be the one who would be looking for pastures this summer but is Diego Alves the right replacement for the Chilean international? Let us discuss that in this article.
Having begun his career at Brazilian Serie A side Atlético Mineiro, Alves spent most of his career in Spain in the service of Almería and Valencia, making over 200 La Liga appearances for both teams combined. The 31-year-old certainly possesses the experience needed to fill in the boots of Claudio Bravo, who has become something of a Barcelona fan-favourite in just two seasons at Camp Nou thanks to his assured display between the sticks.
The Brazilian goalkeeper has refused to participate in the Rio Olympic Games to make his next move with his eyes firmly set on the Camp Nou, and he knows that Enrique is already an admirer of his qualities. He is likely to be happy to deputise for ter Stegen at the club which is exactly what Barcelona are in look for.
Alves is a bit short compared to most keepers with just a frame of 6’2″ but his athleticism makes up for it. The Brazil international is well-known for his brilliant concentration and reflex. An acrobatic keeper, Alves is often decisive with his acrobatic saves. The 31-year-old is the all-time best penalty stopper in La Liga stopping 42.85% of all attempts faced. Alves has stopped 16 penalties from the 37 he ever faced in La Liga.
With Alves, Barcelona will have an experienced cover for ter Stegen who is happy with his role (potentially as a cup keeper). Having a quality keeper like him as a second option would be something any manager would fancy. So, we would say Alves would be the perfect replacement for Bravo is the Chilean opts for a move-out.
