The FC Barcelona seems to have its eyes set on Portuguese football, particularly on SL Benfica, where currently stands out an asset that has sparked notable interest from the culé sports management to reinforce the left flank: the 21-year-old left-back, Álvaro Carreras, whose performance in his squad has attracted the attention of several major European clubs, in addition to the Catalan team.
The native of Ferrol arrived at the Lisbon team in the 2024-25 season and has become a star name in Bruno Lage's sports project, the current coach of SL Benfica, who has given him full confidence to perform as the starting left-back. So far, he has faced 21 matches, in which he has scored two goals and provided two assists, becoming an ideal solution for the left side of the Portuguese team, which had been left without a key player after the departure of Alejandro Grimaldo.
The conditions that support Barcelona's interest in Álvaro Carreras
During this 2024-25 season, Álvaro Carreras has been a key player for SL Benfica, participating in all six matches of the UEFA Champions League that the Lisbon team has faced so far, accumulating 540 minutes of play. Additionally, in the Primeira Liga, he has played 12 out of 12 possible matches, completing 90 minutes in most of them (10) and adding up to a total of 999 minutes out of 1080 possible.
Moreover, he has played 180 minutes in the Taça de Portugal, participating in the two matches that SL Benfica has played in this competition. To this, we must add another 90 minutes in the Allianz Cup. In total, he has accumulated 1809 minutes of play across all competitions, demonstrating his importance to the Lisbon team.
With this in mind, it is not surprising that Barcelona is interested in a left-back who stands out, among other things, for his great ability to connect with his teammates and for having an impeccable left foot that allows him to make significant contributions to the build-up play. He is also a player who brings a lot of personality to the left side in the defensive aspect, being dominant in duels and an excellent winner of aerial battles.
Now, according to several sources, Barcelona considers Álvaro Carreras as a suitable replacement for Alejandro Balde, bringing not only depth to that position, but also a competitive character, possibly a level above what Gerard Martín currently offers.
Will Barça end up betting on signing this Spanish left-back?
Under this premise, it remains to be seen whether Barcelona chooses to invest in him, a player whose current market value, according to 'Transfermarkt', is estimated at six million euros, although SL Benfica would likely ask for much more in the event of a transfer.
At this point, it will be interesting to see how much Barça would be willing to offer for a player who has also participated internationally with the Spanish national team, although so far only at the under-21 level.
Recently, it was mentioned in 'El Nacional.cat' that Barcelona might consider using one of its most 'questioned' talents at the moment, such as Ansu Fati, as a bargaining chip to facilitate the signing of the left-back. Will Barça choose this negotiation route? It cannot be completely ruled out. Just as it cannot be dismissed the payment of his supposed release clause which, according to various sectors, is estimated at 50 M€.