FC Barcelona went into this season hoping for Marc Bernal to be the solution to their pivot woes. Ever since Sergio Busquets left the club for Inter Miami, the team has struggled in the absence of a natural ball-winner in midfield.
Busquets was one of the best of his generation and replacing him was going to be no joke. Last season, Barcelona tried and failed miserably with the Oriol Romeu experiment and he is already back at Girona, albeit on a loan deal.
Hansi Flick came to Barcelona and took a look at Marc Bernal and Marc Casado and decided to trust them this season. The former started the season in incredible fashion but an ACL injury has ruled him out of action for 12 months.
Casado on the other hand has been unbelievable this season. His step up from the reserve team has been as seamless as it can get and he has taken to the pivot position like a fish to water. He seems settled in Hansi Flick’s line-up alongside Pedri.
Around a week ago, it emerged that Barcelona were interested in signing Dutch defensive midfielder Jerdy Schouten from PSV Eindhoven. Now, as per SPORT, the Eredivisie club has set a price tag for the 27-year-old pivot.
The report reveals that PSV want at least €30-€35m to sell the player amid interest from Barcelona. That is quite close to his market value of around €28 million. For a player with Schouten’s ability, the fee that the Dutch club is asking for is warranted.
A talented deep-lying playmaker who is an expert at breaking up play, Schouten would feel at home in a Barcelona system. He might not be flamboyant on the ball but likes to keep it simple and let the creative ones ahead of him take over.
However, with the emergence of Casado and the return of Marc Bernal next season, Barcelona do not necessarily need to invest in a new pivot. Spending money for this position, unless it is absolutely necessary, should be avoided. Let’s wait and see how the club goes about this transfer saga.
