Barcelona seek versatile fullback as Ryerson impresses in Germany | OneFootball

FC Barcelona showed quite a lot of defensive fragility as they conceded 4 goals in only the first half of the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final tie against Atletico Madrid last Thursday.

Although the entire team put in a significantly underwhelming performance, the displays of the two starting fullbacks, Jules Kounde and Gerard Martin, were particularly concerning.

The Catalans have been looking to bolster their flanks for quite some time now, and even brought in Joao Cancelo in the last winter window. Meanwhile, they are also being linked with some other interesting names.

One name attracting attention is Borussia Dortmund defender Julian Ryerson. According to SPORT, the 28-year-old Barcelona full-back target is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career, contributing 12 assists across all competitions, 10 of them in the Bundesliga. This already surpasses the total number of assists he managed in any of his previous individual seasons.

His performance against Mainz, where he provided three assists in just 45 minutes, highlights both his offensive flair and his tactical intelligence in attack.

Ryerson is a versatile fullback capable of playing on both sides of the pitch. His defensive reliability, combined with offensive contributions, makes him an appealing target for Hansi Flick, who values players able to reinforce both flanks. His ability to provide assists while maintaining defensive discipline sets him apart as a complete profile for modern fullbacks.

Borussia Dortmund, known for developing players with high potential and later generating substantial transfer revenue, see Ryerson as a key figure. He arrived at Signal Iduna Park in 2023 from 1. FC Union Berlin and has a contract running until 2028.

Despite growing interest from top European clubs, including Barcelona, Dortmund has no intention of selling him this summer. As Bild notes, he is a regular starter who fully identifies with the club and offers multiple sporting options due to his versatility.

While a move for Ryerson could strengthen Barcelona’s flanks with an experienced and proven player, his departure from Dortmund appears unlikely.