Marcos Alonso is reportedly weighing up his next move ahead of his expected departure from Barcelona.
The left-sided defender has spent almost 18 months at Camp Nou having been allowed to leave Chelsea for a cut-price fee.
Alonso has made a total of 44 appearances in all competitions, a combination of 24 starts and 20 substitute outings with three goals being scored during that time.
However, the 32-year-old has racked up just 302 minutes of football in La Liga and the Champions League during 2023-24, indicating that he has dropped down the pecking order.
Given Barcelona's ongoing financial issues, Alonso is deemed to be a valuable member of the squad, helped by his low wages in comparison to the majority of the first-team squad.
© Reuters
Nevertheless, there is seemingly an acceptance that his contract will not be renewed over the coming months and he will leave the Catalan giants at the end of the current campaign.
The preference of Barcelona officials is likely to be a sale for a small fee in January, rather than losing a player on a free transfer and paying out his wages when he is rarely featuring under Xavi.
According to Sport, Alonso intends to wait until he becomes a free agent in 2024 before deciding on his next challenge.
Teams from the Saudi Pro League are said to be monitoring the situation ahead of pushing to sign Alonso during the January transfer window.
© Reuters
The report also suggests that at least one club in the Premier League is ready to make an official approach for the Spain international at the midway point of the season.
As it stands, though, Alonso appears keen to see out the season at Barcelona in the hope that he will continue to be used more regularly during the second half of 2023-24.
Since October 23, Alonso has made just two appearances, both of them coming versus Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League group stages.
With Xavi's side only requiring a point from their last game with Royal Antwerp to confirm first place in Group H, Alonso can expect to be handed another outing in European football's premier competition.
Darren Plant
