Barca beware: Dalot replacing Ronaldo as Man Utd leader

Stuart Telford

• 13 Oct 2022 05:23 CDT
• 3 min read

Barcelona have targeted Diogo Dalot as the answer to their problem position at right-back, but the Manchester United man is flourishing at Old Trafford, and is now keeping Cristiano Ronaldo right…

Barca spent €150 million on Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde this summer, but right-back remains a problem position for the Catalan giants, with Dani Alves casting a long shadow at Camp Nou.

Hector Bellerin returned to the club on a free from Arsenal in pre-season, but duly injured his calf muscle, with Kounde - a centre-back by trade - deputising at right-back, else Alex Balde plays on the wrong side.

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Barca are understood to have made Dalot their top transfer target for the position, the Portuguese now rated at just €7m by Football Transfers' in-house algorithm with his Old Trafford contract expiring next summer.

But there is an option on Dalot's current contract to extend his Man Utd stay by another year, and if starting every game so far in the Premier League and Europa League wasn't suspicion enough that Dalot might be enjoying things at United, his growing leadership skills make the conclusion unavoidable.

Ronaldo heeding Dalot's advice

Ronaldo returned to United last summer and top-scored for them in the Premier League last season with 18 goals, but the former talisman has been relegated to a bit-part role under Erik ten Hag this season.

That didn't stop him scoring his record 700th career club goal against Everton last Sunday, but at full-time, Ronaldo was ready to head straight for the tunnel before Dalot made sure that his compatriot went over and thanked the visiting support.

Dalot caught Ronaldo's attention, nodded towards the away end at Goodison Park and put his arm around the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, who acquiesced.

Dalot has averaged three tackles and clearances per game this season but also the same number of shot-creating actions. Allied to his emerging dressing room influence, United will be desperate to tie him down, and Barca will need to keep looking for their Alves successor.