According to reports by Helena Condis of Tiempo de Juego COPE Barcelona are closely monitoring the situation of Rayo Vallecano right-back Andrei Ratiu. The Romanian player has sparked the interest of many top clubs in Europe with his performances.
A lethal attacking threat
Andrei Ratiu is a perfect example of a modern-day full-back, as he is a constant attacking threat on the right flank. The full-back has 47 dribbles recorded in La Liga this season with a 58% success rate. He can form an unplayable connection with Lamine Yamal on the right to make it impossible for any team to defend. A similar duo like Messi and Dani Alves can be formed. He also creates a healthy amount of chances, as he has created 22 chances in La Liga with a 2.61 XA.
Press-resistant RB-CM hybrid?
Andrei Ratiu has the ability to get out of aggressive pressing and tight spaces, a very rare quality for full-backs. This attribute makes him a promising candidate for Barca’s right-back position due to their possession-based play style. Hansi Flick’s Barca often turns defense into attack by evading pressure and launching a pass into space for the attackers.
Room for improvement in defense
When defending, Ratiu has done a good job so far for Rayo Vallecano this season with 121 duels won and 109 recoveries. There is still room for improvement in his defending, as he’s not the best in 1 v 1 situations. However, he can fit perfectly in Hansi Flick’s system as he requires his full-backs to track back with pace, a strong point of Ratiu.
Andrei Ratiu may not be on the level of Jules Kounde, however, he is a good option as his backup and rotation. He can also be a more attacking option for Hansi Flick when facing low-block teams in La Liga.