Andrei Rațiu: The alternative for the right-back position that excites the FC Barcelona squad

The FC Barcelona seems to have among its priorities bring in a right-back. This does not arise from the need to find a replacement for Jules Koundé, who has currently established himself as one of the best, if not the best, right wing-backs at present.

Rather, it responds to the need to provide depth to that position. Currently, the second in command in that spot is the young Héctor Fort, a promising alternative, but despite having great potential, suggests the need for a more experienced player.

With this in mind, it is not surprising that FC Barcelona is keeping an eye on one of the full-backs who has positioned himself as one of the best in LaLiga EA Sports 2024-25 and one of the most eye-catching in Europe: the 26-year-old Romanian international, Andrei Rațiu, currently at Rayo Vallecano, who seems destined to be one of the main attractions in the upcoming summer market.

Rațiu has plenty of arguments to be considered by Barcelona

And how could it be otherwise? Rațiu has stood out as one of the most interesting options to reinforce the right-back position, given that he combines excellent defensive ability with stellar offensive contribution (he has two goals and three assists in 27 matches), making him a quite complete player with evident growth potential that suggests his possible incorporation.

Furthermore, this negotiation is attractive for one particular reason: the supposed low investment that would be required to bring in a full-back who is generating so much interest at present. It is worth remembering that the Romanian, who has a contract with Rayo until 2028, has a release clause of €25 million, an incredibly attractive 'bargain' price at a time when acquiring quality assets at a reasonable cost has become a complicated task.

Andrei seems to be liked by several players in the culé squad

Not only that, but apparently, according to what was mentioned in 'Mundo Deportivo', several players from the azulgrana team would not mind having Andrei Rațiu as a teammate, as some team members are closely following him. In fact, several of them, according to the cited source, have him in their 'fantasy' (an online game where participants create virtual teams of real players from a sport).

With this in mind, it would not be surprising if Andrei Rațiu is gaining favor as a possible right-back for FC Barcelona, especially if he maintains the level he has shown in the 2024-25 season. He is a valuable alternative that would undoubtedly compete for the right wing-back position with Jules Koundé, who is one of the most consistent players in the starting eleven and precisely due to the lack of an experienced replacement in his position, a role that the Romanian could perfectly occupy and even contend for the starting spot.