Report: Three Options Barcelona Are Considering As Sergio Busquets Replacement
FC Barcelona are in the market for a new midfielder as they look to replace Sergio Busquets, who has announced his desire to leave the club at the end of the season.
Replacing the veteran midfielder will not be easy for Barça and would require extensive scouting. Fortunately for the club, the board has been looking out for options for a while now and has shortlisted three ideal candidates, reports Diario SPORT.
The players in question are Martin Zubimendi, Sofyan Amrabat and Guido Rodriguez. These are the three midfielders identified by Xavi Hernandez as the ideal options to replace Busquets next season and in the years to come.
Needless to say, Ruben Neves does not make the list, as Xavi is not entirely sure of the Portuguese international’s defensive prowess.
Zubimendi, on the other hand, remains the ‘wet dream’ of the Barcelona coach, who rates the player highly due to his technical ability and experience in Spanish football. Unfortunately for Barça, Real Sociedad’s hefty demands could make the signing quite inaccessible this summer.
Amrabat, on the other hand, was an option for Barcelona during the January transfer window. And it appears the club have reignited their pursuit of the Moroccan international, who was quite impressive at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
However, even the Amrabat operation could be tricky, with Fiorentina holding out for a fee of €25 million. That leaves Barcelona with Rodriguez, who currently plies his trade for Real Betis.
Everything suggests the Argentine will leave the club in the coming summer, but as per the initial report from Diario SPORT, Rodriguez is no closer to joining Barcelona. It is, in fact, Neves, who is close to joining the Catalans, especially after the efforts made by club president Joan Laporta.
