Cortes feels ready for Barcelona

Asked about the rumours linking him with a move to Barcelona (read more here), Getafe right back defender David Cortés (28) has said in an interview with Spanish news agency EFE that he hasn't yet been contacted by Barcelona: "But of course I'm willing to negotiate, they can call me 24 hours a day. It would be great but there's often a big gap between those kind of rumours and the reality."

The Spanish right back added that he thinks that he has the qualities to make the step: "I feel ready to play in whatever team in the world. Although when such a big team is following you, you start to wonder about that, since you're not used to the level."

Read more:
Cortes back-up for Alves
How things stand: Right back defender
Getafe right back looked at

Cortes back-up for Alves

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola is interested in Getafe right back defender David Cortés (28) (read more here).

Since Oleguer and Puyol are no natural right back players, Cortés is seen as the ideal back-up for Sevilla defender and Brazilian international Dani Alvés. The Getafe defender can also play at the left back position and is that way also an option in case Barcelona would decide to accept a good offer that could come in for Abidal or Sylvinho.

Read more:

Getafe right back looked at

How things stand: Right back defender

Official talks on Alves to start tomorrow

How things stand: Right back defender

(a few weeks before the end of the season, Barça Transfer Zone looks forward to the coming transfer summer making an analysis for each position, in part 2 we look at the right back defender)

2007-2008
With Belletti joining Chelsea in late August, everything was clear at the start of the season: Gianluca Zambrotta (31) would act as regular with Oleguer Presas (28) as his back-up.

Consecutive injuries of Oleguer caused the return of captain Carles Puyol (30) for more than ten official games to the place where he started his first team career. It even looked for a while like Puyol would become the first-choice right back, with Márquez replacing him in the centre. An injury of the Mexican could have prevented this from happening.

Out
Italian international Zambrotta, whose contract expires in 2010, is almost certainly returning to his home country in the summer. A deal with AC Milan seemed close (read more here and here), but the difficult negotiations on a transfer of Ronaldinho could postpone the final agreement. Milan seems to offer between 5 and 7 million euro° for the player. There have also been rumours about Juventus and Inter Milan.

Being a good team player, Oleguer is probably not very high on the Barcelona exit list. But if the player would like to leave to have more playing time, the club would not prevent that from happening. After being linked with Lazio Roma and Wolfsburg during the January transfer window, a few weeks ago there were claims about Ajax wanting to sign the Catalan defender on loan.

In
With Zambrotta on his way out, one of the main tasks in the coming transfer window is the transfer of a top right back defender. The first choice for this position is undoubtedly Dani Alves (Sevilla - 24). If Sevilla wants to sell this time, the player is not expected to leave for less than 30 or even 35 million euro°.

Second choice is Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich - 24), whose contract with Bayern expires in 2009 and who is not planning to sign a renewal. If Bayern accepts the full back to leave, the transfer price is expected to be between 9 and 15 million euro°. Lahm can also play as left back defender.

Other players that have been mentioned are David Cortés (Getafe - 28), Rafinha (Schalke 04 - 22), Emmanuel Eboué (Arsenal - 24), Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich - 31) and Maicon (Inter Milan - 26). Central defenders Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo - 26) and Gerard Piqué (Manchester United - 21) and defensive midfielder Stéphane Mbia (Rennes - 21) have also experience on the right back position.


Read all How things stand contributions here in the coming weeks or read the contribution about:
Goal keeper - Right back defender - Central defenders - Left back defender - Defensive midfielder - Attacking midfielders - Wing attackers - Centre forward

Getafe right back looked at

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona is interested in Getafe right back defender David Cortés (28). Cortés has been scouted by several Barcelona coaches during the last months and could leave his club for only 3 million euro°.

Although Sevilla defender and Brazilian international Daniel Alves (24) is the absolute favourite to replace current Barcelona right back Gianluca Zambrotta (31), who will probably return to Italy at the end of the season, the asking price of more than 30 million euro° obliges Barcelona to look at other options. The Barcelona technical staff would prefer to use that money to buy a top class midfielder or striker.


Read more:
Deal with Sevilla on Alves
Milan close to signing Zambrotta
Alves repeats exit wish