Evan Ndicka to Barcelona – Have the Catalans pulled off another smart free transfer?

German outlet Sport1 recently reported that Barcelona have reached a verbal agreement with Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka, whose contract expires in the summer.

The French centre-back is now waiting for the Catalan giants to proceed with the negotiations, as he is keen on making a switch to Camp Nou.

Ndicka was in the orbit of top European clubs, but it appears as though Barca have won the race for his signature.

The news must have raised a few eyebrows since Ndicka is a lesser-known name and whether he would be the right choice for the Blaugrana.

The Catalan giants have adopted the policy of signing free agents in recent years to cope with their financial crisis.

The trend will likely continue in the summer window and beyond until their finances are stabilised.

The strategy has indeed paid off, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Eric Garcia, Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen being perfect instances.

Ndicka could be next in line, and the biggest question is whether he is ready to make a giant leap to a club like Barca.

Ndicka – an underrated defender who can bring a lot to the table

The 23-year-old joined Frankfurt in 2018 from second-tier French club Auxerre and has since made significant progress in his career.

Helping Frankfurt finish fifth in the Bundesliga in the 2020/21 campaign and lift the Europa League last season, Ndicka has established himself as one of the best young defenders in Europe.

Playing as left side centre-back in a three-man defence, the Frenchman is known for his physicality and pace, which helps him win defensive duels and recover the ball quickly.

Barcelona lack a left-footed centre-back in their squad, and Ndicka would be a top addition.

The French youngster’s form in recent times is not up to the mark, but he has a lot of quality and years ahead to further develop into one of the best players in his position.

He will have to work on the possession side of his game, and there is no better place than Barca to master that art.

Xavi’s side will target a defender in the summer transfer window to find a replacement for Gerard Pique, who hung up his boots months ago.

Signing Ndicka for free will undoubtedly be another great piece of business from Barca.