Barcelona are reportedly on the lookout for a long-term replacement for stalwart Jordi Alba.
The Catalan giants have earmarked the left-back position as an area they want to strengthen this summer.
Manager Xavi currently has La Masia graduate Alejandro Balde in his ranks as cover, but is keen to bring in an experienced full-back as a replacement for 33-year-old Alba.
So who could Barcelona target?
Sergio Reguilon (Tottenham)
It would undoubtedly be a controversial move given Reguilon’s previous ties with Real Madrid.
The 25-year-old Spain international has a £27.5 million buy-back clause for him to return to the Santiago Bernabeu, but could soon find himself in Catalonia.
He has made 67 appearances for Tottenham over two seasons, including 22 Premier League starts this term.
Since the arrival of Antonio Conte, however, he has been playing second-fiddle to both Ryan Sessegnon and Matt Doherty, and is behind the pair in the pecking order.
Marcos Alonso (Chelsea)
Alonso looks set to depart Stamford Bridge this summer despite having one year left on his current contract.
The 31-year-old managed just 45 minutes in the first half of Chelsea's 2-2 draw with Wolves on May 7, with boss Thomas Tuchel revealing the decision to substitute him was tactical.
Tuchel has since played down a bust-up with the player, but Barca are said to be pushing forward with negotiations after "receiving encouragement" from the full-back’s representatives.
Alonso’s father, Marcos Alonso Pena, who spent five years with the Catalan giants, is keen for his son to grace the turf of the Camp Nou in the near future.
Javi Galan (Celta Vigo)
Galan has established himself as one of the most reliable left-backs in La Liga during the past two seasons.
He impressed for Cadiz before they were relegated in 20/21, but made the move to Celta Vigo last summer. The 27-year-old could well be on the move again, however, with both Barca and Sevilla interested.
Galan has missed just two games while chipping in with three assists in 34 outings thus far, and proved a pivotal figure for the Galician club this season.
It could be a shrewd piece of business by Xavi should the Blaugrana snap him up, but the player does have a contract with Celta until 2026.
Alejandro Grimaldo (Benfica)
Barcelona could launch a bid to bring Grimaldo back to the club.
The 26-year-old came through La Masia before leaving for Benfica in 2016, and has been a standout performer for the Lisbon club.
His contract at the Estadio de Luz ends in the summer of 2023, and his current employers previously slapped a £35m pricetag on him.
The asking price is likely to have dropped considerably due to the length of time left on his deal, and player is understood to be keen on a return to Catalonia.
Jose Gaya (Valencia)
Gaya, 26, has been a long-term target for Barca.
When previously quizzed on his future, the Valencia captain said in an interview with Mundo Deportivo: “This isn’t the time to talk about my future, I love these fans, Valencia is my club. It always will be and they’re in my heart.”
His contract at the Mestalla expires in the summer of 2023, and it is likely the Spain international will be on the move.
Gaya’s release clause at Valencia is currently a staggering £85m, but given he’s only got a year left on his contract he could be made available for as little as £8.5m.
Angelino (RB Leipzig)
Barcelona have previously been linked with the ex-Manchester City full-back.
The 25-year-old is regarded as one of the best left-backs in the German top-flight, having successfully settled into the RB Leipzig set-up. He has 88 competitive appearances to his name, scoring 11 goals while providing 27 assists.
Angelino is a versatile player, as he is capable of featuring as a left-winger and even as a central midfielder if required, so would give Xavi various options throughout the pitch.
He has a contract with the German side until 2025, but could be available for £25m.
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
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Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh960,000
Engine 3.9L twin-turbo V8
Transmission Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Power 661hp @8,000rpm
Torque 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.4L / 100k
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Company profile
Name: Thndr
Started: October 2020
Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000
Funding stage: series A; $20 million
Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC, Rabacap and MSA Capital
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HAJJAN
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The%20specs
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Low turnout
Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.
Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.
"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."
A%20Little%20to%20the%20Left
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA
Price, base / as tested Dh150,900 / Dh173,600
Engine 2.0L inline four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 211hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 1,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km
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Maestro
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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