FC Barcelona Target Signing Of ‘New Dani Alves’ Dodo

FC Barcelona are targetting the signing of a player being dubbed the ‘new Dani Alves’ in Shakhtar Donetsk right back Dodo.

Barca legend Alves is of course enjoying a second stint at the club at the ripe old age of 39 after re-joining as a free agent in the winter transfer window.

It is unknown whether his short contract until the end of the month will be renewed, however. And with Sergino Dest also possibly moved on while Oscar Mingueza has been told he is surplus to requirements, first team head coach Xavi Hernandez needs to fill two spots in this area of the park with only Sergi Roberto tied down after signing a new one-year deal this week.

A search for reinforcements has therefore led Barca to Dodo, according to SPORT, who does not want to continue at Shakhtar despite boasting a contract until 2025 in a development that is not entirely influenced by Russia’s ongoing military operation in Ukraine.

The 23-year-old on the cusp of breaking into Brazil’s senior national team known as the Selecao is apparently convinced that he must face new challenges, and to this extent he rejected all the offers that came to him when UEFAEFA
and FIFA allowed Ukraine and Russia-based players to move on through permanent or temporary means last season, as he wishes to move on in the summer transfer window.

A product of the Coritiba academy in southern Brazil, Dodo is considered to be ready to make a leap to the elite and has already impressed in the Champions League for his fast, offensive, forceful and technically gifted brand of football while thought to boast “the ideal profile that full-backs have traditionally had at Barcelona”.

As always, Barca will receive competition for his signature in the transfer market should they push ahead with their interest in Dodo, who is also fancied by the likes of eternal enemies Real Madrid plus Bayern Munich, Fiorentina and Tottenham Hotspur.

Trusted German website Transfermarkt currently values Dodo at exactly €20mn ($21.3mn), though Shakhtar may demand more than this fee given the years left to run on his current deal with them.