Soccer News Soccer Match Reports, Football News
It is no secret that Oriol Romeu was Barcelona’s last-ditch attempt to sign a replacement for Sergio Busquets.
After all, the legendary pivot had announced his departure from the club at the end of last season but the club did not have the required resources to sign better-placed options.
Of the numerous names on their list, Martin Zubimendi always stood out as Xavi Hernandez’s most preferred option.
According to reports from SPORT, the Real Sociedad star is very much still a part of the Blaugranas’ plans.
The priority this summer
As relayed by the report, Barcelona consider signing Zubimendi to be their priority for the summer transfer window. They see him as the best available option to carry forward the legacy of the defensive midfield.
His contract with the Basque side runs until 2027 after his latest renewal but also has a release clause valued at €60 million.
The figure may not be exorbitant in today’s market but is a far reach considering the Catalans’ economic situation.
The administration are already working hard to improve the scenery on the financial front and are looking for formulae by which they can make Zubimendi’s incorporation a reality.
Future teammates? (Photo by ANDER GILLENEA/AFP via Getty Images)
Big fish in the race
In an age where finding elite defensive midfielders is a rarity, it is not surprising that Zubimendi has attracted interest from other top clubs in Europe as well. His relatively low release clause only makes the list of parties longer.
Arsenal and Bayern Munich were willing to shell out the required €60 million for Zubimendi this past summer, but the player opted to stay with Real Sociedad.
For Barcelona to sign him, they must thus not only beat the other parties in the race but also successfully convince the player with a strong sporting project.
Needless to say, a lot will depend on the team’s run in the remainder of the season.
Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/barcelona-see-e60-million-rated-la-liga-midfielder-as-a-priority-for-the-summer-of-2024/
Author : Adithya Eshwarla
Publish date : 2023-11-20 13:20:01
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
