Xavi hopes key position at Barcelona is strengthened before pre-season tour – report

Barcelona begin their preseason camp in just over a week on July 10. That will be around ten days before they take off for their US pre-season tour, where they will play against the likes of Juventus, AC Milan, Arsenal, and Real Madrid.

Looking into the squad ahead of the season’s unofficial kickoff, however, the Blaugrana appear minimally changed from last season.

The Catalans’ transfer window so far has been far from the paradise they anticipated. Ilkay Gundogan is the only player they have managed to sign, with Inigo Martinez being the only other on the cusp of signing the papers.

It is safe to say that Xavi Hernandez’s side, in fact, lost more than they have gained. The departures of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba come as big blows to the Blaugrana, and the former is clearly the more difficult to replace.

The administration and club president have been on the lookout for a replacement pivot for a long time now. The hunt began with Martin Zubimendi and Joshua Kimmich before moving to Marcelo Brozovic. With all three pursuits facing roadblocks, Oriol Romeu appears to be the chosen one.

According to reports from Achraf Ben Ayad, Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez hopes for the club to close the signing of a new pivot before the commencement of the pre-season tour.

Needless to say, this does not involve just the announcement but also the incorporation of the player into the team dynamics.

Girona were initially said to be unhappy with the La Liga champions’ advances towards their star midfielder. However, reports state that they will now be willing to let him go for a fee of around €5 to €6 million this summer.

It is expected that Barcelona will call their Catalan rivals as early as tomorrow to begin talks over a transfer in the hope to complete the deal before July 10.

Romeu’s swift incorporation will enable Xavi to transmit his ideas to the new pivot to better effect and find a working combination in the middle of the park. After all, this will be Barcelona’s first season without Sergio Busquets to lead them in midfield.