Barcelona line up three alternatives for Xavi’s preferred midfield target – report

With Barcelona on the lookout for a new defensive midfielder to replace captain Sergio Busquets, manager Xavi Hernandez continues to insist on the signing of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

However, there are several challenges that the La Liga champions will encounter in pursuit of the 24-year-old. For starters, Zubimendi has a release clause worth €60 million in his contract with Real Sociedad, and he does not wish to leave the club either.

As such, Barcelona have lined up three possible alternatives in case they miss out on Zubimendi’s signing, reports Mundo Deportivo.

And the three names that the La Liga champions will consider in that scenario are Marcelo Brozovic of Inter Milan, Guido Rodriguez of Real Betis, and finally, Sofyan Amrabat of Fiorentina, although the latter is said to be well down the shortlist at Can Barça.

The report states that Barcelona see Brozovic as a technically sound, experienced player with good positional sense. The Catalans had tried incorporating his signing in January when a swap deal involving Franck Kessie was discussed but nothing came of it.

As for Guido Rodriguez, the 29-year-old could be sold by Real Betis this summer and is a player that interests Barça, even though they consider him to be a few levels below Zubimendi. While the Argentine is capable of recovering balls, his distribution skills leave something to be desired.

Finally, Amrabat is seen as the final option, despite other reports suggesting that the 26-year-old is at top of the shopping list after Zubimendi and Joshua Kimmich. While the club staff values his physicality and ability to regain possession, there are doubts about him being able to withstand pressure from the opposition.

It remains to be seen which way the Catalan giants sway in their search for a replacement for Busquets, but finding a like-for-like alternative to him will be nearly impossible.