According to a recent report by Sport, Manchester City are stepping up their efforts to recruit Barcelona midfield ace Sergi Roberto this summer. The same source has also mentioned that the Catalans have made it clear that the Citizens’ number one desire is to recruit the Spanish talent who is quite happy with life at the Nou Camp.
Roberto’s Impressive Form For Barcelona This Season
The 28-year-old has experienced another solid season at Catalonia after putting in a run of impressive performances as a key component of Quique Setien’s first-team. He has made 37 appearances for the La Liga giants this term, registering one goal and two assists on all fronts which showcase his knack of getting involved in the final third.
Roberto has established himself as a valuable squad player by averaging 1.1 tackles, 1.1 interceptions, 1.0 clearances, 0.8 key passes and 0.5 dribbles per game in the Spanish top-flight and the UEFA Champions League this season. He has also distributed the ball well as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 91.8% in league football (stats via whoscored).
The Barcelona youth product has also secured seven senior caps for the Spanish national team, scoring one goal for his country in the process. If Roberto can continue with his decent run of form in the upcoming campaign, then he should have a fair shot of being named in Spain boss Luis Enrique’s squad for next year’s 2019 UEFA European Championship finals.
What Are The Spanish Midfield Ace’s Best Attributes?
Roberto can use his quickness and excellent ball-control to make a few driving runs with the ball in the opposition half. He is a fantastic distributor of the ball and can also pull off some important interceptions and last-gasp clearances for his team.
The Spaniard is a decent crosser as well and has the vision to unlock a rigid defence in the final third. What makes Roberto such a useful member of the Barca squad is his outstanding versatility to play as a central midfielder or as a right-back if required.
Is Roberto The Right Choice For The Citizens?
At 28, the Reus-born midfielder still has a few years left in his prime which Man City could look to benefit from in the coming seasons. Roberto will not only add more creativity and variety to Pep Guardiola’s first-team but also enhance the overall quality of his match-day squad.
Furthermore, the Spanish playmaker will offer some serious competition for the likes of Ilkay Gundogan, Rodri, Fernandinho, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva for a midfield place at the Etihad Stadium next season. He could also keep both Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo on their toes for the right-back spot as well. With all things considered, Roberto will be a brilliant choice for the Citizens to consider ahead of the new campaign.
