Barcelona transfer news: Dodo targeted to be the new Dani Alves
FT Desk
- 8 Jun 2022 10:01 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona have zeroed in on the player they hope can be the long-term heir to Dani Alves at right-back: Shakhtar Donetsk star Dodo.
Dani Alves is a Barcelona legend having won La Liga six times in his first spell with the club between 2008 and 2016, as well as lifting the Champions League three times.
The evergreen right-back returned to Camp Nou from Sao Paulo last November and was a fixture in the side in the second half of last season, making 14 appearances as Barca finished runners-up to Real Madrid in the league.
The Brazilian turned 39 in May, however, and the need to replenish in his position is obvious, especially with understudy Segino Dest struggling to convince.
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Dodo could be the player Barca turn to according to Spanish daily Sport.
"Dodo doesn't want to continue at Shakhtar," they write. "He considers that this stage of his sporting life in Ukraine is over, despite having a contract which runs until 2025."
Shakhtar saw a significant number of players leave last season against the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with Dodo's fellow Brazilians Tete, Marlos and Junior Moraes among those finding pastures new.
But unlike Tete, whose deal with French side Lyon is only a loan, Dodo deliberately stayed with Shakhtar in order to facilitate a permanent move this summer.
🌩 What a duo, what a celebration! 🤩
Tete 🧡 Dodo
#Shakhtar pic.twitter.com/7XMPeqmAKM— FC SHAKHTAR ENGLISH (@FCShakhtar_eng) October 31, 2021
"In this context, Barca have taken note of the situation of the promising wing-back, whom they see as having the potential to become a new Dani Alves," Sport continue.
Barcelona face reported competition from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich for the Brazil youth international, but the prospect of refining his craft under Alves - an all-time great in the position - might tip the scales in Barca's favour.
How good is Dodo?
Dodo is a diminutive but powerful 5'5" wing-back who shares some physical similarity with Alves.
He contributed two goals and seven assists in 23 games for Shakhtar the season before last, and a further four in 14 last term, as well as making it into the 99th percentile for non-penalty expected goals league-wide.
Capped 18 times at youth international level for Brazil, the suspicion remains that Dodo will be the long-term heir for Alves for club and country.
