In a recent report, AS mentioned that Barcelona have agreed on a €20m fee for Valencia midfielder Carlos Soler this summer. It has been stated that the Catalan giants are planning to finalize a deal for the Spain international before the end of this month.
Soler’s Decent Run Of Form In Spanish Football
Soler managed to perform at a high level at the heart of Valencia’s midfield in the previous campaign. The Spaniard made 38 appearances for the Spanish outfit last season, finding the back of the net on 12 occasions and grabbing five assists in all competitions.
The 25-year-old was a consistent performer at the centre of the park after he averaged 1.3 shots, 1.7 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per 90 minutes in La Liga. However, he needs to work on improving his ball distribution as evidenced by his pass success rate of 74.4% in the top tier of English football (stats via whoscored).
What Will Soler Bring To Barcelona?
Soler can shoot the ball with power and precision from long range and has got the vision to create a few decent chances in the attacking end of the field. He can even make some clever runs with the ball from midfield. However, the nine-time Spain international needs to work on improving the defensive side of his game.
Soler is primarily a central midfielder but can even fill in as a winger on either flank if needed. He will no doubt enhance the quality of Barca head coach Xavi’s starting XI by bringing a lot of energy and dynamism to his midfield department.
The Valencia star could even serve as a decent replacement for Frenkie de Jong if the Dutch midfielder is sold by the Catalan outfit during this summer transfer period.
Soler has got enough experience in La Liga and won’t take any time settling into life at the Nou Camp. Thus, it makes sense for Barcelona to try everything they can to snap him up ahead of the new campaign. At 25, Soler’s prime years are ahead of him which makes him a good choice for the Catalan giants to pursue in this off-season.
