Catalan giants Barcelona have allegedly renewed their interest in 24-year-old Brazilian defender Caio Henrique, who is valued at €30m by his current club AS Monaco.

As reported by the Spanish daily AS, Barcelona is keeping a close eye on Caio Henrique’s development. In addition, the Catalan giants have already made contact with the agents of the Brazilian defender, who is valued at about €30m by AS Monaco, according to reports.

Having spent a brief period in Atletico Madrid’s junior system, Caio Henrique started his professional footballing career with the Spanish club. However, the Brazilian defender was unable to establish himself in the Wanda Metropolitano’s first-team squad and was eventually transferred to AS Monaco in the summer of 2020, after three separate loan stints away from the club.

Barcelona are set to be looking out for a replacement to Jordi Alba

It is safe to say that Henrique’s career has benefited greatly from his transfer to Monaco, as the 24-year-old has established himself as one of the best full-backs in Ligue 1. The player has had a fantastic start to the 2021/22 season, having already accumulated seven assists in only 17 games. His growth has also not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona among the teams that have shown an interest in signing him.

Barcelona is said to be on the lookout for a left-back despite the fact that Alejandro Balde was promoted to the first team at the start of the new season. However, there are some concerns surrounding the future of Jordi Alba, with recent rumours claiming that Manchester United are interested in acquiring him for their squad.

Barcelona has a plethora of choices to choose from, with Jose Gaya allegedly being one of their primary objectives. In recent rumours, however, it has been suggested that Gaya would want to remain at Valencia, which may explain why the Blaugrana have shifted their focus to Henrique.

Will Barcelona break their purse to sign Henrique?

The 24-year-old is now one of the most adventurous full-backs in Europe, and his characteristics would make him an excellent substitute for Alba. For Barcelona, though, a price tag of €30m might prove to be a stumbling hurdle, given the club’s current financial predicament.

Even if the Catalan giants are unable to meet Henrique’s €30m asking prices, it goes without saying that a Brazilian defender is a potential option for the club. If they decide not to pursue a deal for the 24-year-old, Robin Gosens, a German left-back who is among the players wanted by Barcelona, might prove to be an attractive option.

About the Player:

Caio, who was born in Santos, Sao Paulo, joined the Santos youth setup when he was 10 years old in 2008. He was transferred to Atlético Madrid on February 1, 2016, just days before his contract with the club was set to end.

In preparation for the 2016–17 season, Caio was promoted to the reserves, however, he spent the whole pre-season with the first-team squad. The next day, on August 28, 2016, he made his senior debut, starting in a 1–0 Tercera División away victory over Fútbol Alcobendas Sport.

Against CD Guijuelo in the Copa del Rey on November 30, 2016, Caio made his professional debut, starting the game.