New Barcelona coach Xavi wants to make former teammate Dani Alves his first signing since returning to Camp Nou.
Alves, 38, is the most decorated soccer player currently active and the Brazil international recently helped his country to the 2020 Olympic gold in Japan.
A meeting has been scheduled between Alves and the current Barca leadership to work out the details of his return to Catalonia according to CBS Sports soccer insider Fabrizio Romano.
The South American veteran had previously seen hopes of a return dashed by Ronald Koeman but now Xavi has given the possibility a new lease of life.
Current Barca president Joan Laporta recently admitted that “Alves offered us his help on a sporting perspective” with a reunion between the former Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus man and Xavi now possible.
Alves and Xavi were teammates for seven years before the latter’s 2015 exit which came one before the former’s own departure.
Xavi was unveiled as Barca’s new boss earlier this week and has been tasked with turning around their poor form on the pitch as the club tries to recover from some devastating recent seasons off it.
Should Alves arrive, it could have interesting implications for USMNT fullback Sergino Dest. Dest, who is absent from the USMNT this international break thanks to injury has recently been deployed as a winger, meaning he could play in front of the Barcelona legend. Additionally Dest, whose attacking contributions from fullback have been the calling card of his young career, now could have the opportunity to study under of the best attacking fullbacks the game has ever seen.