Barcelona might be off to a brilliant start to the La Liga season and for life under Hansi Flick but one must not forget about the cracks that appear under the surface. It’s safe to say that the club did not address all their issues in the summer just gone by.
The Spanish club has struggled to replace Sergio Busquets since the Barcelona legend left for Inter Miami at the end of the 2022/23 campaign. It looked like they had found their solution in Marc Bernal but the 17-year-old tore his ACL and is ruled out for the rest of the season.
Hansi Flick has since chosen to trust Marc Casado to play in that position and the La Masia graduate had a good game against Real Valladolid just before the international break. However, there is no hiding the fact that he is not a pure pivot.
While the club will be looking forward to recovering Bernal at the start of next season, as per Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona could look to sign Arsenal midfield star Thomas Partey on a free transfer next summer.
The €18m-rated African midfielder has started all three of Arsenal’s games so far this season, even scoring a goal. However, once the likes of Mikel Merino start settling in, Partey might lose his place in the starting XI.
The report claims that the Gunners are unlikely to offer Partey an extension on his current contract that expires at the end of the season. Atletico Madrid would be interested in re-signing him while Al-Hilal and Al-Alhi will also provide Barcelona with competition for his signature.
One can be sure of the fact that the Saudi clubs will be able to offer him a better salary package than Barcelona or Atletico.
As much as Barcelona fans would hope that Marc Bernal is the future at the #6 position, no one can say for sure how he will return from his injury. Having an experienced figure like Partey at the club to help him ease in could be beneficial in the long run.
However, the question that the club needs to address is whether signing the 31-year-old will send the right message, considering his off-field controversies in recent seasons. Regardless, Partey is a solid option for the defensive midfield position, and let’s see if the club makes an effort to sign him next summer.
