Latest developments
- Barcelona looking to sign Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies
- Canada captain may let his contract with the Bavarians expire
- Hansi Flick wants a reunion with the left-back at Barcelona
Whisper+ analysis
Authenticity (4/5): Source's reliability suggests possibility
Davies' situation at Bayern Munich has been under scrutiny for a few months now as the left-back's injury history has been a source of concern for the Bundesliga side. The German media have heavily criticised the Canadian and has been reconsidering his future with der Rekordmeister.
Davies' current contract with Bayern is set to expire in the summer of 2025 and the Bavarian side have already offered him a contract extension, however, the left-back is yet to respond to the club's offer as he weighs his options before committing to the club.
Real Madrid are said to be admirers of Davies and are ready to add him to their super squad next season. Regardless, SPORT has now revealed that Barcelona boss Flick has asked the club to try and sign his former star next summer as a free agent.
SPORT are generally reliable in terms of Barcelona‘s transfer dealings and they leave fewer doubts as to why this story may not be true.
Value (2.5/5): Free agent signing – huge sign-on fees and wages
Davies will only leave Bayern Munich in the summer of 2025, and will not leave Allianz Arena in the January transfer window regardless of whether the Bundesliga side try to sell him in a cut-price deal to avoid losing him for free.
As such, Barcelona will be glad that they will not have to shell out a transfer fee if they decide to sign Davies. However, it has been reported earlier that the Canadian may demand a £10 million signing-on fee on top of his £240,000-a-week wages. This would not be very attractive for Barcelona due to their economic struggles and may eventually put them off.
Suitability (5/5): The Flick effect for Davies
Davies played some of his best football under Flick during the German coach's stint as Bayern Munich's head coach. Barcelona play a very similar brand of football that was seen from Flick's Bayern Munich and as such, Davies would slot right into the Catalan side at left-back.
Upgrade? (2.5/5): Alejandro Balde's meteoric rise
Davies would be in direct competition with Alejandro Balde for the left-back position if he decides to join forces with the five-time Champions League winners. While on paper, it may seem like a mismatch, Balde has been one of the best left-backs in La Liga over the last few years due to his defensive and offensive balance, alongside a burst of pace that may trump Davies'.
Davies has often been criticised for his defensive frailties, and in Flick's current tactical set-up at Barcelona, a defensively astute left-back is needed. As such, Balde trumps the Canadian overall despite Davies being better on the offensive side of things.
Logic (2.5/5): Stifling Balde for an injury-prone star
Most teams would be very lucky to have the chance to incorporate a player of Davies' level into their squad. However, for Barcelona, the move does not make much sense as there are other positions that the Catalan side could rather focus on improving or planning for the future.
As for Davies, the injury-prone star would be better off joining a club where he would not face as much competition from a younger competitor for the same position. Real Madrid are unhappy with Ferland Mendy and Fran Garcia, and it would make more sense to settle into Los Blancos' side.
Whisper+ final verdict – 16.5 /25
The move does not make much sense for Barcelona as their economic and wage bill issues would take a bigger hit for an injury-prone and inconsistent player, especially when they have Balde's standards rising higher up every week under Flick.
