Ever since the retirement of Carles Puyol, there has been a mini-battle going on at Nou Camp at the centre back position amongst defenders to secure his place. Besides the position of Gerard Pique, the only solid defensive option at Barcelona, there has been plenty of players who have come and gone.
Amongst the few top choices, there is Thomas Vermaelen who has never really played on a regular basis for the Catalan club. Then there is Javier Mascherano of Argentina.
Since moving to Barcelona seven years back, he converted from a holding midfielder to a centre back. He has gone on to make over 300 appearances for the Catalan club and helped them to several trophies and accolades.
At Barcelona, Mascherano took his time to become a regular, as it was difficult to replace the trusted pairing of Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol but with Puyol’s retirement, Mascherano became the player closest to become a regular starter and had cemented his place until this season.
Morevoer, with the Argentine not getting any younger at 33 and with Barcelona having brought in replacements in the form Samuel Umtiti, his time at Nou Camp may well be over. Samuel Umtiti, the other Barcelona man is full of potential and is now a regular starter for the Catalan side after replacing the ageing Javier Mascherano at Nou Camp. Umtiti was brought in from the French side Lyon last season.
The youngster impressed largely the last term and kept pushing for a first-team spot. This season he has become a first-team starter and although had been impressive in the initial outings, now looks a little erratic at times. The talented centre back has a bright future ahead of him but does not yet look ready to continue for a full season as the senior centre back at a club of Barcelona’s level.
Therefore, the above circumstances leave Barcelona short on first team defenders with only two solid options. Such a situation has led to reports believing that Barcelona are chasing Real Sociedad centre back Inigo Martinez.
Barcelona showed great interest in the defender during the summer. It had cooled down in between but with Umtiti’s form deteriorating, Barcelona have reignited their interest in the tall centre back.
Come the January window, this will certainly set for a big transfer battle for the player as reports have suggested that Barcelona will have to rival Liverpool for the player’s signature, a club they currently share a frosty relation with since the collapsed move for Philippe Coutinho.
