Xavi demands the renewal of Barcelona veteran for tactical reasons

Sergi Roberto is staring at an uncertain future at Barcelona as his current contract with the club stands to run out at the end of the season.

The La Masia graduate has been a valuable member of the team over the years with his versatility of being able to play in midfield and at right-back coming in handy. He was even made one of the club captains this season following the summer departure of Lionel Messi.

While Roberto started the season fairly well, a serious injury has seen him get sidelined, with the Spaniard expected to return in a little over a month. The injury also meant that contract negotiations with the club took a backseat, leading to speculations over his future.

Arsenal and Manchester City are believed to be keeping close tabs on the situation. While Roberto’s camp was not convinced about Barça’s intentions of wanting to renew his contract, there is a newfound belief within the representatives that manager Xavi Hernandez wants the veteran star to stay.

The same is corroborated by a new report from Mundo Deportivo, who claim that Xavi indeed is keen on retaining Roberto’s services beyond the current season.

It is claimed that the manager sees the 30-year-old as a valuable commodity in the squad due to his versatility as well as tactical flexibility. Xavi sees Roberto as the only other right-back apart from Dani Alves who can drop into midfield and play the role of an inverted full-back.

Furthermore, the Spanish international is someone who knows the Barcelona DNA and understands how the current manager wants the team to play.

Despite Xavi’s stance, there remain some officials within the club who are not convinced about handing Roberto a new contract.

Even if there is the possibility that the utility man does renew his deal, it goes without saying that he would be expected to take a major pay cut, considering the club’s financial situation, coupled with his own injury issues and reduced status within the team.

For now, however, Xavi wants Roberto on his roster beyond the current campaign. Whether that happens could depend on how he fares after returning from his injury.