Sergio Busquets left FC Barcelona at the end of last season, but the club was unable to bring in a long-term replacement for him in the pivot position because of its financial difficulties. Xavi asked for a top-level footballer, but Barcelona had to be content with Oriol Romeu, who was signed with a rather short contract.
While Romeu has been giving good performances since arriving at the club, it is clear that he is only a short-term solution, keeping in view his age.
Thus, the Catalans are looking to sign another pivot in the next summer transfer window, and Deco is looking for a young midfielder who has experience at the highest level and has also shown significant progress recently.
Barcelona monitoring several youngsters for pivot position
According to SPORT, there are five names being considered at the club, but a consensus is yet to be reached between the sporting department and the coaching staff, as most of these profiles are being studied in detail.
One of the players in the Barcelona short-list is the Royal Antwerp midfielder, Arthur Vermeeren, who was unable to impress the Catalans much when he faced off against them in the Champions League group stage opener.
Gabriel Moscardo from Corinthians is another player that Deco likes, while Sergi Altimira, whom Barcelona tried to sign before he moved to Real Betis this summer, is also on their list.
Two experienced players also on Barcelona’s list
Another player who has been linked with Barcelona recently is Guido Rodriguez, whose contract with Real Betis is expiring at the end of the season. However, his age can be a problem as Barcelona want someone younger for now.
Ndidi, the Leicester City midfielder, is another option, especially as he would not be renewing his contract, but Bayern Munich can also push to sign him next summer.
Thus, nothing is certain yet, and Barcelona might also have to make a sale before going into the market for a midfield pivot. However, everyone at the club agrees that another player in this position is needed, and Xavi is expecting Romeu to mentor whichever youngster arrives at Barcelona the next summer.
