Barcelona have agreed a deal in principle with Brazilian outfit Sao Paulo for defender Douglas Pereira as boss Luis Enrique continues to add further competition to his squad.
The Blaugrana failed to win a trophy under Tata Martino last season and Enrique has been quick to strengthen the squad since his appointment over the summer to ensure that they can challenge for silverware.
Douglas is set to cost Barcelona four million euros plus one-and-a-half million euros in appearance-based add-ons and will travel to the Catalan capital in the next few days to undergo a medical and sign a five-year contract.
Enrique is hoping that the Brazilian can provide some competition for his compatriot Dani Alves and Martin Montoya, with Alves reportedly under pressure to prove himself at the Nou Camp.
The 24-year-old began his career with Goias before joining Sao Paulo in 2008 and he made 93 appearances for the Soberano, helping them to claim the Copa Sudamericana in 2012.
Barcelona have been forced to get as much business done as possible during the summer after being slapped with a transfer ban that effectively stops them from signing anyone until the summer of 2016 once this current window shuts.
However, the situation could change depending on how the Court of Arbitration for Sport decides to rule on the club’s appeal.
Douglas is expected to be available for Sunday’s trip to El Madrigal when Barcelona, who are priced at 1.57 to claim the win, take on Villarreal who are available at 5.62 to pick up the victory as both sides look to maintain their perfect starts to the campaign.
Link Dafabet