Barcelona are searching for a replacement for full-back Alex Vidal who will leave the club in January. The player at the top of their wanted list, according to Tuttosport, remains Juve’s Stephan Lichtsteiner.
 

The 32-year-old Swiss international is out of contract in the summer but the bianconeri has a clause in it that states that if a January bid is tabled, they will automatically add a two-year extension to the deal which in theory, means that any potential buyer will have to buy him out of that contract by reimbursing the Serie A champions with two years’ worth of salary.  

There has also been interest from the Premier League with Chelsea boss Antonio Conte keen to reunite with the player he coached during his time in Turin. The West London club would be willing to wait until the end of the current campaign despite their reported off-loading of Branislav Ivanovic in January.


Steve Mitchell @barafundler