Former Barcelona defender Eric Abidal has urged the club to renew Dani Alves’ contract and keep him out of Manchester United’s clutches.
Alves’ future in the Catalan capital has been a source of increased speculation following Barcelona’s reluctance to start contract negotiation talks as the Brazilian’s contract ends at the conclusion of the current season.
The full-back’s agent Deborah Santana revealed last week that Barcelona have showed no inclination to prolong Alves’ six-and-a-half-year stay at the club, which prompted her to head to England to start negotiations with Manchester United over a possible summer move.
Abidal, who played at Barcelona for six years before his move to Monaco in the summer of 2013, has insisted that Alves is the best right-back in the world and urged the Catalans to renew his deal.
“They have to renew it. He is the best right-back in the world”, Abidal said in an interview with Al Primer Toque on Spanish radio station Onda Cero.
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“If I was president I would have called him to renew”, he added.
The Frenchman went on to add that with the existing transfer ban on Barcelona, keeping the Brazilian at the club would be in the best interests of everyone at the Camp Nou.
“Barca cannot sign [anyone] and they have to keep their best players.”
Pointing out 35-year-old Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo as an example of longevity, Abidal added that Alves, still only 31, has a lot to give to Barcelona.
“Age has no importance, look at Pirlo, and they are still renewing [his contract].”
If Alves’ contract situation at Barcelona does not improve, Manchester United could prise away the Brazilian for free in the summer transfer window, while several other sides will also be surely spying a bargain too.
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