In a recent report, Sport mentioned that Barcelona are eyeing a move for Lille full-back Tiago Santos. It has been stated that the Catalan club are eager to get a deal done for the Portuguese defender next year.
Santos’ Impressive Form In French Football This Season
Santos has made a good start to this Ligue 1 campaign after he put in a few impressive displays on the right side of Lille’s defence. The 22-year-old has featured in 13 matches for the French outfit this season, picking up a couple of assists in the process across all fronts.
The Portuguese defensive ace has caught the eye at times with his performances on the right flank by averaging 1.7 tackles, 0.6 clearances, 1.1 shots, 0.7 key passes and 1.7 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Ligue 1. He has even been tidy when distributing possession after making 83.1% of his attempted passes in top-flight football (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the Portuguese club will run out in the summer of 2028 which could make it difficult for Barcelona to snap him up on the cheap next year.
What Will Santos Add To Barcelona Boss Hansi Flick’s Team?
Santos is a tough-tackling defender and doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball when required. He can strike the ball with venom from long range and has got the vision to engineer some decent chances for his teammates in the final third.
The Portuguese talent is a good dribbler with the ball as well. However, he might need some time to adjust to life in Spain if Barcelona manage to bring him to the Nou Camp next year.
Santos is primarily a right-back but can also fill in as a right-winger if asked to do so by his manager. We can expect him to add more quality and depth to Barca boss Hansi Flick’s defence. He is good enough to compete for a regular first-team spot at the Catalan club in the coming years.
At 22, the future is quite bright for Santos as long as he continues to improve with each campaign. Therefore, Barcelona would be wise to try everything they can to acquire his services this January or next summer.
