Fichajes has recently reported that Barcelona are showing interest in recruiting Olympique Lyonnais midfielder Maxence Caqueret. It is understood that the Catalan giants could arrange a cut-price move for the French playmaker, who has two years remaining in his Lyon contract, at the end of this campaign or wait until the summer of 2023 to sign him on a free transfer.
Caqueret’s Impressive Rise At The Groupama Stadium
Caqueret has made a strong start to this campaign after putting in a few solid displays at the centre of Peter Bosz’s midfield. The 21-year-old has made seven appearances for the French outfit but is still waiting to open his goal-scoring or assists account for this campaign.
However, the French sensation has caught the eye by averaging 1.8 tackles, 1.5 interceptions, 0.8 shots, 0.7 key passes and 0.8 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Ligue 1. He has even taken care of the ball when distributing the ball from midfield based on his pass completion rate of 84.6% in top-flight football (stats via whoscored).
Caqueret is only going to get better with each year, so Barca would be wise to move in for him as he is clearly someone who can form a dominant midfield partnership with the likes of Pedri and Riqui Puig at the Nou Camp in the long run.
What Will The French Youngster Bring To The Nou Camp?
Caqueret loves a tackle and has got the tenacity to earn the ball back for his team in midfield. He can provide decent protection for his teammates at the back and is a tidy passer of the ball as well. The French youngster can create some good plays for others around him but needs to be more decisive in the final third.
At 21, Caqueret is in for a very bright future in European football, so Barca would do well to lure him to the Nou Camp in the not-too-distant future. He ticks all the right boxes in terms of what it’s required to play for a top club like Barcelona and will undeniably increase competition for places within Ronald Koeman’s match-day squad in the coming seasons.
We can expect Caqueret to bring some bite and steel to the Catalan club’s midfield. The French whizkid has the potential to become one of the best players in his position someday. Hence, Barca should only consider recruiting him if they plan to play him regularly in La Liga. Furthermore, Caqueret could serve as an ideal replacement for Miralem Pjanic who is facing an uncertain future at the Nou Camp after being loaned out to Besiktas this season.
