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Sergio Busquets was always going to leave Barcelona. The Catalan hero is now 36, and having won La Liga for the ninth time in 2022-23, can now depart Camp Nou with one last winners' medal in his pocket.
But his departure, expected that it was, still leaves Barca with a problem. Busquets is, in effect, irreplacable. He made popular a position that every team seems to covet — the very blueprint of the modern No.6. There is no one quite like him. But there are some basic principles to his game: Busquets has an excellent spacial awareness, is an impressive passer on the turn, and can expertly kill the game with tackles and tactical fouls. That is a very rare combination of skills.
That doesn't mean there are no options to replace him, though. The Blaugrana will have some money to play with, and there are a range of players who can either come close to Busquets' skill set, or even offer something a little bit different. The bad news is that one of the primary options now seems to be off the table. Barcelona have been after Ruben Neves for some time, but the Wolves midfielder appears to be on the verge of signing a massive contract with Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. It leaves the Blaugrana having to look elsewhere, so here's who Barcelona could target to replace one of their club legends...
Barcelona aren't the only club supposedly after Zubimendi, and it's easy to see why. He isn't a like-for-like replacement for Busquets, but he has a similar skillset. He sits at the base of midfield, stifles counter-attacks, and moves the ball with accuracy from deep-lying positions. He also drops between splitting centre-backs to start attacks, often receiving under pressure and finding team-mates rapidly. There are additional traits here, too. Zubimendi drifts into pockets of space between the lines, and can swivel to find passes through tricky angles — the kind of pivot move that Busquets made special. This is a confident, physical, skilled defensive midfielder, with just enough athleticism to get out of trouble when he needs to. La Real do not want to sell him, and they can command a pretty high fee from any interested parties. Whether Barcelona can actually afford him remains to be seen, but this is the most obvious replacement on the market.
And now for the opposite. What if Barcelona have no real need for their new pivot to score or venture forward much? What if they just want tackles, clearances and interceptions? Enter Amrabat. The Moroccan made a name for himself with a series of standout showings at the World Cup and is now being pursued by a host of Europe's top clubs. But he might be a better fit at Barcelona than all of them. Amrabat is a rugged midfielder who can time a tackle, but there's also some underrated attacking quality to his game. Amrabat is a high-volume forward passer, who likes to ping balls to either wing. That could add a new weapon to Barcelona's arsenal if they look to hit on the break. This is a different type of player to Busquets, but could be an equally useful one if deployed correctly.
The Blaugrana have reportedly emerged as unlikely frontrunners for Brozovic, a fan favourite for Inter in Milan. The Croatian is able to play as a loan pivot or part of a two — in a system similar to Barca's modified 4-4-2 — and so Brozovic's versatility would make him a viable commodity for the Blaugrana. Brozovic is perhaps also more technically-gifted than some of the other options here, and certainly embodies the concept of 'Barca DNA' that the club so often covet. There is also something to be said for experience. Brozovic may be 30, but he's enjoyed plenty of success in recent years. He was a crucial part of two Croatia World Cup runs, and also played in the Champions League final this year. Barcelona need some veterans to complement their young core, and Brozovic could be one of them.
Everyone seems to be potentially up for grabs for Bayern at the moment. Changes to the board have put a hold on major contract negotiations and could alter the way the Bavarians look at transfers. And Kimmich has been among the names that have sparingly cropped up in transfer talk. Xavi has gone one further, publicly acknowledging that: He is a super top player, who understands the game in a fantastic way. If there is an open door, there will be a negotiation with Bayern. And while Kimmich has admitted that he is focused on Bayern, the Blaugrana boss' comments suggest that something could happen here.
Another link that's been floated, Guimaraes would appear to be a perfect fit for this Barcelona midfield. The Brazilian offers a bit of everything, and can play as a No.6 or No.8. But he's perhaps made for this Barca deep-lying role. Guimaraes loves a tackle, and covers enough ground to snuff out the counter-attacks the Blaugrana will likely be hit with. But Newcastle will want a pretty penny for their star midfielder. Barcelona insider Gerard Romero reported that there might be a swap deal in place with fellow Brazilian Raphinha, but that would certainly mean sacrificing some attacking quality. Perhaps Barcelona will feel it's worth it.
If the Blaugrana are looking for a defensive midfielder who will not do any attacking whatsoever, Gundogan is not the answer. The City man can play as a No.6, No.8 or No.10, but is at his best when operating high up the pitch and sneaking into the box. Add to the fact that his most famous performance as a No.6 came in an ill-fated Champions League final where his inclusion at the position arguably lost City the game, and this looks like an awkward fit. But it has also been largely forgotten that Gunodgan had played as a No.6 for City before that, and was often excellent in the role. He isn't as physical as Busquets or most other Spanish pivots, but the instincts and understanding of space are certainly there. And when it comes to vision and ball progression, Gunodgan is better than all of them. This isn't a traditional option or a perfect fit, but it could just about work.
Gonzalez was sent to Valencia on loan last season, and was one of few bright spots for the club in an otherwise miserable campaign. His long-term position is up for debate, but he was a No.6 for most of his youth days, and could be a viable short-term stand-in while allowing for Barca's budget to be spent elsewhere. At 6'2, he certainly has the build and height, while his passing range is ever-improving. There are some additional perks here, too. Gonzalez is more of a natural dribbler than Busquets and could make some crucial driving runs into the final third. It's something Xavi has acknowledged recently, but admitted Gonzalez could be better used as a box-to-box than a natural pivot.
Source: goal.com
