He's one of the most promising young defenders around, but Barcelona right-back Martin Montoya could be available for free this summer, and there are two Premier League clubs in particular that would provide a suitable outlet for his talents. How Liverpool and Swansea could benefit from a loan move for the man desperate to become Spain's first choice right-back for years to come... Name: Martin Montoya Torralbo Date of birth: April 14, 1991 Birthplace: Barcelona, Spain Club: FC Barcelona Position: Right-back Honours: La Liga (2010/11), Supercopa d'Espanya (2011), Copa del Rey (2011/12) International appearances: 2 (Catalunya)/ 5 (Spain U23) What's the latest? Things couldn't have been going better for Montoya at the start of this season. The 21-year-old appeared to have usurped Dani Alves at right-back for Barcelona, and after receiving his second Spain call-up in November, it looked like 2012/13 would be a big season for the Barcelona youngster. Since then however, Dani Alves has recovered his form, and with fellow Brazilian full-back Adriano also growing in importance for Barca, Montoya's appearances have been limited to the degree that he looks unlikely to make the progress many had hoped for this year. Conscious of the need for regular club football in order to book his place in the Spain squad for the 2014 World Cup, it is believed that Montoya has asked his agent to find him a loan move away from Barcelona this summer. As exemplified by Isaac Cuenca's move to Ajax, Barcelona have shown a precedent for obliging such requests in the past, provided the destination will allow the player to continue his growth in a style similar to the Barca system. That puts Premier League sides Liverpool and Swansea in a strong position, should they feel they could use his qualities. How good is he? One of the most talented young players in Spain, Montoya's run in the Barcelona team ahead of Alves is no accident, and was kick started with his brilliant showing in the 2012 Copa del Rey final win over Athletic Bilbao. The youngster had already made appearances for the Barca first team before then, but a late injury withdrawal for Alves gave him his chance to shine, and he took it with aplomb. Montoya built on that opportunity by keeping Alves out of the Barcelona team at the start of this season, playing nine games in a row across the League and Champions League between October and December, but he has since been displaced by the older defender after the winter break. The Spaniard is expected to be Barcelona's first choice right-back in the future, as well as a big player for Spain, and had it not been for the presence of Alves, he would likely already be a regular for the Blaugrana. Barcelona describe his qualities on their official website: âMontoya is known for his speed, strength, and bursting runs to the byline, going above and beyond the role of a normal rightback. He is composed and tireless in defense, and better still, after more than a decade in FC Barcelona's youth academy, he has perfected his technique, which allows him to cross and pass the ball with precision.â Why Swansea? Swansea's League Cup triumph this year means they will be playing European football next season, and that level of competition combined with their Spanish-influenced playing style now makes them an attractive destination for any players looking for a loan away from one of La Liga's big clubs. Perhaps the Swans' one issue this season is their thin squad, and while the starting eleven is more than capable of doing damage to most Premier League teams, there aren't enough squad players of a similar quality, so Montoya could certainly add something new to their line-up therefore. Michael Laudrup will already known that, as the Dane surely keeps one eye on his former club for a sniff of any potential bargains, so if the Catalan becomes available he could well be considered by the Swans gaffer. The presence of Spanish speakers like Chico, Pablo Hernandez and Michu, and even a Catalan speaker in Angel Rangel would make the process of adaptation as easy as possible for the Barcelona star.
Works for me. Does he need a plane ticket. What do we do with: Neil, Ben, Angel, Tiendalli, Jazz .... Swap two full back for a dynamo center forward.
"As exemplified by Isaac Cuenca's move to Ajax, Barcelona have shown a precedent for obliging such requests in the past, provided the destination will allow the player to continue his growth in a style similar to the Barca system. That puts Premier League sides Liverpool and Swansea in a strong position, should they feel they could use his qualities". ffs samuel dont say stuff like that,...i almost chocked on my fish finger sandwich ps i assume if he`s a free transfer then no need for a loan deal
thats a thought for dinner, fish finger sangers, anyhow sounds like an interesting prospect, time will tell what happens
