As reported by Express, Gabby Agbonlahor believes that Jack Grealish should snub Manchester United in favour of a move to FC Barcelona. The ex-Aston Villa star has also cited Real Madrid and Juventus as ideal destinations for the midfielder who has emerged as a star in the Premier League this season.
In this article, we will discuss whether Grealish’s potential addition to Barcelona makes sense.
A replacement for Rakitic?
Ivan Rakitic hasn’t had the best of times at Barcelona for the past couple of seasons. Especially following the arrival of Frenkie de Jong, the Croatian international has failed to make himself a regular member of the first-team. He has only been able to muster nine starts in La Liga this season.
And with his contract expiring at the end of next season, Barcelona are certainly in need of new faces in their midfield department. That’s where Grealish could come into the fray.
While the Aston Villa star is far more attack-minded than Rakitic, he can play the role of an additional midfielder in a 4-3-3 formation.
It means Grealish’s ability to create chances, coupled with his aggression would add a new dimension to the Barcelona midfield, especially with de Jong and Sergio Busquets operating in a slightly deeper role. And at the age of 24, he could indeed be deemed as a potential Rakitic replacement for the Catalans.
Will Grealish be a first-team regular?
One major challenge for any newcomer at FC Barcelona is earning a prominent place in the first-team. That is also applicable for Grealish, who will presumably compete with Arthur Melo for a place in the starting eleven.
Fortunately for the Englishman, though, Barcelona are in a transitional phase at the moment. Reliable operator Busquets is in the final stage of his career and will soon have to step down. His potential retirement would likely make de Jong the primary number six for the Catalans.
As a result, Grealish’s chances of breaking into the first-team could rise significantly. But, at the same time, Barcelona will definitely look to add reinforcements in the midfield department, meaning the Aston Villa star could still have problems in making himself a regular fixture in the Barcelona first-team.
Should Barcelona make a move?
All things considered, Grealish could actually be a smart piece of investment for Barcelona. The Englishman has proved himself in arguably the most competitive league in the world and looks ready to take the next step in his career.
As mentioned earlier, Grealish could offer something new to the table for Barcelona. His willingness to close down the opposition tunes in well with Quique Setien’s tactical philosophy. Moreover, he can also create chances in the final third, which would surely take the pressure off players like Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann.
However, Barcelona will hope that Aston Villa gets relegated in the Premier League this season as he could cost a fortune should Villa manage to retain their Premier League status in the summer.
