Barcelona midfielder, Andres Iniesta is currently pondering over his future with the La Liga outfit amid interests from Chinese clubs. He was quoted, “Before April 30 I have to make the decision whether I’m still in Barcelona or I’m going to China. I have to assess what is best for me and for the club. It is a decision that I will communicate to the club first and then you will find out.”
Iniesta is 33 and just a short 5 months back, signed a ‘lifetime’ contract with Barcelona to end all sorts of speculation over his future. The rest of the football world will always be fond of the attacking midfielder whose career has been splashed with major honours in every single competition he has played in. Iniesta and Lionel Messi currently are the most successful players in Barcelona’s history with over 30 titles under their belt.
But it is not just the honours that will be mentioned when Iniesta announces his retirement from professional football. His sublime touch paired with remarkable footballing intelligence makes him one of the best players the world has ever witnessed.
A 5 feet 7 inches figure packs a lot of punch in terms of creativity and offensive quality. When given the ball, it is a headache to get him off it and when on his day, almost impossible to stop.
One could say that his talents are almost irreplaceable in the Camp Nou ranks and before the arrival of Philippe Coutinho, that could have been ruled to be true. However, the only reason Coutinho has been brought in is to succeed the 33-year-old in the attacking midfield role.
The Brazilian is slowly adjusting to life at Barcelona and that is starting to hinder Iniesta’s involvement in the day-to-day activities. However, is that enough to spark a conversation of a possible exit to China?
We have witnessed a bunch of top-class players from European side make the move to the Far East for monetary benefits. It is almost a tradition-like affair for veterans to make their way to either the Chinese Super League or find a more comfortable home in the USA.
Thierry Henry, Frank Lampard, Andrea Pirlo and Kaka have ended their careers in the MLS and have set up a favourable path for high profile veterans. However, the Chinese outfits will promise a bigger paycheck which seems like the best way to leave the show.
It would be a nice change of pace for Iniesta as well since he has spent his entire career with one club. No harm in expanding your horizons while carving out retirement benefits.
