Barcelona have had their problems in the centre of the pitch last season as they struggled pretty heavily. Andres Iniesta’s age started to take a toll on him while Ivan Rakitic’s form seemed to have faded away.
There was a lot of expectations from Andre Gomes but his move backfired for the Catalans as the Portuguese midfielder had to sit on the bench for most of the season due to his wretched showings.
Newly appointed manager Ernesto Valverde has pointed out the need of a midfielder and Barcelona have been digging very deep in the transfer market. Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Paulinho has been linked with the Catalans but his present club Guangzhou Evergrande has made it pretty clear that the player is not for sale.
So the Catalans now have to start from the scratch and here are the possible three alternatives for the Brazilian international.
Marco Verratti
The Italian midfielder is touted as one of the next big things in the European football. Barcelona have made their desire known for the player but Paris Saint-Germain are in a very strong position regarding his contract.
The Italian midfielder has a contract till 2021 so it would be a bit tough for the Catalans to leverage a deal. Ligue 1 is tactically not so difficult in comparison to the other Leagues but in a league which boasts of a number of quality midfielders, he has made his own mark.
In a League where creativity has rarely been seen from deep midfield, Verratti has emerged as the most skilful players in the French top tier. Barcelona are in an acute need for a versatile midfielder and Verratti has that instinct in him to thrive in a more superior League like La Liga.
Geoffrey Kondogbia
The French midfielder is one of the most gifted playmakers in the current European circuit. He was frozen by ex-manager Frank de Boer but since his removal, the player has reinvented himself.
His approach to the game is more physical and he boasts of an explosive range of passing. Barcelona are yet to venture in the transfer market but they have been monitoring the player as a backup plan if they somehow fail to seal a deal for their No.1 target, Verratti.
Julian Weigl
The 21-year-old is one of the most exciting talents in the Bundesliga. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder has been a rage in such a young age and has been a regular in the Dortmund lineup.
The versatile midfielder can be deployed at the base of the midfield or in the centre of the pitch. But he is most useful in bridging the gap between the defence and the midfield.
A quality passer of the ball, Weigl would add immense value to the side.
