FC Barcelona have significantly strengthened their squad in the previous summer transfer window, but one position where the club has ultimately weakened is the base of the midfield.
The former Barcelona captain, Sergio Busquets, left the club at the end of the last season, and it would be impossible for the club to get another player with his strengths, skills, and experience of playing at the highest level.
Barcelona want a cover for Romeu
Still, Barcelona tried their best to mitigate the impact of his departure by incorporating Oriol Romeu in the summer. However, he is already 31 years old, and Barcelona believe they have to get another midfielder to cover for him during the strenuous season ahead.
However, as Mundo Deportivo reports, the Catalans are not getting much good news in this regard, as two of their identified targets have moved away from the club.
One of the players that the club was monitoring for such a role was the Portuguese Joao Palhinha. The midfielder was quite close to a move to Bayern Munich this summer, but the move fell in its final stages.
Now, he has signed an extension with Fulham till 2028 and made it clear after this extension that he also wants to remain with the Premier League side in the future.
On the other hand, Fabricio Diaz, who has been on Barcelona’s radar for several months now, is also only one step away from joining the Qatari side, Al-Gharafa.
His medical with the Qatari side is scheduled for today, Friday. His current club, Liverpool de Montevideo, will get the highest fee in their history for the midfielder, around $7 million.
Thus, FC Barcelona will have to look at other players to reinforce their midfield. The club is considering two low-profile midfielders who can join as free agents in the winter, as already reported.
