The debacle concerning the pivot position remains a massive headache for FC Barcelona even at this point of the summer transfer window. The Catalan club is still unsure about what their final acquisition may be in the position come the end of the window but certain developments have indeed taken place.
Following the earlier news that Sergio Busquets would be parting ways with Blaugranes, Barcelona have since been scurrying across the market in the hopes of finding an adequately talented and well-rounded replacement for the Blaugrana legend. Xavi Hernandez even reportedly tried to make Busquets extend for another year, but it was not to be.
Among those that Barcelona have now had to shortlist as potential targets, the ones that stand out most due to quality and reputation are Xavi’s ideal pivot replacement for Busquets, Martin Zubimendi (Real Sociedad) alongside the likes of Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina), Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis) among others.
In the case of Sofyan Amrabat, as has been reported by Mundo Deportivo, massive updates have been provided by the national coach of the Moroccan team, Walid Regragui, regarding the Moroccan player’s future.
During a public appearance, when questioned about why Amrabat is not a part of the team set to face off against South Africa in their international match, the 47-year-old manager stated:
Amrabat will not play. He has played many games this year, I preferred not to risk it especially because he will soon sign with a new team.
He explained the decision to not involve him in the team was done on the grounds of allowing the player to fully commit somewhere without distracting him from his pursuit of a new endeavor as well as to avoid any unwanted injuries that may deter his possible transfer.
While there existed a possibility of the Moroccan arriving at Barcelona in the January window as well, it was restricted by his club, Serie A side Fiorentina, who at that moment were not willing to let go of their Moroccan star.
Now, they are reportedly being more accommodating of the idea, as the player would end up becoming a free agent in 2024 anyways, so they prefer to sell him for an amount in the region of €25-30 million as two teams from La Liga (namely Barcelona and Atletico Madrid) continue to assess the possibilities of Amrabat’s arrival at their respective clubs.
