Barcelona flop Douglas could return in January as Benfica 'consider' breaking loan deal

Barcelona flop Douglas could make an early return to the Nou Camp when the transfer window reopens in January after having failed to make any impact at Benfica during the opening part of the season.

O Jogo reports that the Portuguese side are already considering sending the Brazilian defender back to Barcelona only months after signing him on a season-long loan.

Douglas moved to the La Liga giants from Sao Paulo in the summer of 2014 with hopes to becoing the long-term replacement for Dani Alves.

However, the 27-year-old right-back only made eight appearances in two seasons for Barcelona before being sent on loan to Sporting Gijon in the summer of 2016.

Douglas failed to resurrect his career at the Asturian side and, on 31 August, the Catalans dispatched him on on loan to Benfica after having previously acquired the services of Nelson Semedo from the Portuguese side to cover the right-back role this season.

However, Douglas is yet to play a single game in La Liga Nos, with his only four appearances for Benfica coming in the Champions League and the Portuguese Cup.

Earlier this month UOL reported that his future at the Portuguese side was thus in danger due to certain clauses included in his loan agreement with Barcelona.

The Brazilian outlet claimed that Benfica would need to pay €1,8m (£1.6m, $2.1m) to Barcelona if Douglas plays 11 games before January while getting him on permanent basis at the end of the season would cost them €2.5m.

Yet, they added that the agreement between the clubs also allow the Portuguese side to send him back to Barcelona in January if the Brazilian right-back doesn't play the aforementioned 11 games before the transfer window reopens.

Douglas' return to Nou Camp in January looks now a step closer with O Jogo claiming that Benfica are already planning for life without the Barcelona loanee ahead of the second part of the season.

The Portuguese publication claims that Rui Vitória's side have already earmarked two potential replacements for Douglas in the form of Boca Juniors' Gino Peruzzi and Coritiba starlet Dodo.

The arrival of one of them to Benfica during the January transfer window will surely see Douglas returning to Barcelona.

Should that transpire the Catalans would probably try to send him somewhere else once again with Semedo, Aleix Vidal and versatile the Sergi Roberto above him in the pecking order.