Barcelona star Dani Alves has reportedly agreed to a three-year deal with Juventus, and he's set to join the Bianconeri on a free transfer this summer.
That's according to Spanish outlet Cadena Ser (h/t Marca), who reported on Wednesday that Barcelona won't make any money on the deal, but they will save roughly €8 million in wages, which they could use to invest in either new arrivals or improved contracts for other star players.
Frabrizio Romano of Sky Sport reported the proposed deal is through 2018 with an option to extend an additional year.
Alves has been with the Catalans since 2008 and ranks among the current team's most decorated players, having won six La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions League trophies.
The 33-year-old proved he's still among the best full-backs in the world during the 2015-16 campaign, registering three assists in the Champions League, per WhoScored.com. While he has always relied heavily on his athleticism, his positional play has improved in the last few years, and he easily maintained his grip on the starting position with Barcelona.
ESPN FC's Janusz Michallik likes the move from Alves' and Juventus' perspective:
Per Sport, Sandro Ramirez used a similar clause. The report also suggested the money the club will save will go toward securing new deals for Luis Suarez, Neymar and Lionel Messi. The club currently can't improve their top stars' contracts, as they sit dangerously close to the limit of what they're allowed to spend under financial fair play regulations, per Yahoo Sports' Guillem Balague.
La Liga blogger Rafael Hernandez wasn't surprised when he heard the news of Alves' possible departure:
Alves is a superb fit in Juventus' 3-5-2 formation, which relies heavily on attacking wing-backs with excellent range. Stephan Lichtsteiner is the team's top option on the right wing, and he and Alves should make for a fantastic duo.
Juve manager Massimiliano Allegri wants his team to have depth above everything, and he frequently rotates his players. On the left wing, Alex Sandro and Patrice Evra easily coexisted during the 2015-16 campaign, so there's no reason to believe Alves and Lichtsteiner won't do the same.
The departure of the Brazil international would be a major blow for Barcelona, who don't have a quality backup at the position. Alves was one of the unsung heroes of the 2015-16 season and has developed fantastic chemistry with Messi.