The quest to find an elite defensive pivot at Barcelona remains the absolute priority for the Catalan club regardless of other positions being sorted or not.
Anything beyond the arrival of a pivot is more or less a luxury for the club and not essentially a necessity, while a pivot’s arrival most certainly is.
In recent weeks, Barcelona have targeted several different options and alternatives for the pivot position. However, as determined as the Catalans have no doubt been, thus far they have not been able to lure away their ideal candidates from their respective clubs either due to sporting differences or economic restrictions.
As a result, Barcelona are still very much left without a pivot and they have no specialist within the club to count on other than versatile midfielders that could potentially act as temporary defensive midfielders but not offer a permanent solution.
And that is exactly where 19-year-old La Masia product Marc Casado steps in. As per Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, the player believes it is his time to finally take a shot at convincing Xavi Hernandez that the heir to the throne of Sergio Busquets already exists within the club, and it would be a much more feasible option to utilize than that of bringing in an elite player for a hefty transfer fee.
The player primarily plays as a defensive midfielder but also possesses a degree of versatility to his game, being able to also be deployed at various positions such as center back, fullback, or even as a central midfield or interior.
Another factor that plays a huge role in showcasing the player’s determination to the cause of Barcelona is the fact that despite interest and offers from different first and second-division sides, he has chosen to neglect them in order to direct his complete attention and dedicate himself entirely to Barca.
Casado grew up watching the likes of Xavi Hernandez and Sergio Busquets while they were top players, and the 19-year-old has reportedly tried to learn and base his game on what the two Barcelona legends would do during their time as players.
With the pre-season fast approaching, and Casado being called upon to travel with the first team just as he did last year, being the only subsidiary member to do so before the previous season’s pre-season, the midfielder hopes to be able to convince Xavi through his performances that he now deserves a full chance with the first team.
