Barcelona could sign Jose Gaya for €15m - Reports 

Barcelona, who are in the market for a left-back, have reportedly turned their sights on Jose Gaya.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Blaugrana have identified the Valencia captain as their number one target for the position. The 25-year-old is reportedly valued at €15m, but considering Los Che's precarious financial position, they might be willing to part with their skipper.

Years of mismanagement have seen the Mestalla outfit get to this stage; they had to sell off several first-team players last summer in a bid to balance their books.

⬇️ Assist Goal ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/USQcttUceV

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 27, 2021

Barcelona themselves are not doing any better off, recently revealing that they have pending debts of over €1.2 billion.

Nevertheless, the Catalan giants are in search of a left-back to provide competition for Jordi Alba, who turns 32 in a few months time. Previous attempts to fill the position have not yielded results, with Lucas Digne and Junior Firpo among those failing to make a mark on the left of defence.

Firpo, in particular, has struggled since arriving from Real Betis in 2019 and reportedly requested a transfer during the winter, but that was blocked by Barcelona.

Could Jose Gaya be Barcelona's long-term prospect at left-back?

Jose Gaya is highly regarded.

Jose Gaya has boosted his stock massively in the last few years and is currently regarded as one of the best left-backs in the Spanish top flight.

His attacking nous means that he embarks on forward runs down the left flank, from where he contributes heavily to Valencia's attacks. He is also adept in set-piece deliveries, although his forward instincts leave him defensively susceptible at times.

Gaya currently starts as Spain's first-choice left-back, ahead of the likes of Alba , Sergio Reguilon and Marcos Alonso, which is indicative of his growing stature.

🛫 VALENCIA 🔄 SEVILLA 🛬 #AMUNTValencia 🦇 #SevillaVCF

— Valencia CF 🦇🍊🌊 (@valenciacf) January 27, 2021

After progressing through the Valencia ranks, Gaya made his first-team bow in 2012, going on to make 238 appearances in all competitions for the Mestalla outfit. He was also named club captain following the departure of Daniel Parejo to Villarreal.

Gaya's natural ability means that he would have no trouble adapting to Barcelona's style of play, although it is unknown if he would be guaranteed first-team football if Jordi Alba is still present.

Regardless, the Blaugrana are likely to jump at the prospect of signing a proven La Liga veteran with international experience for a cut-price fee.