Xavi likes Barcelona academy prospect due to his versatility, could call him up vs Cadiz

Barcelona have been rocked by the injury of Ronald Araujo, who picked up a thigh injury ahead of the clash against Cadiz.

The Uruguayan international is expected to be out for at least a month, which compounds the club’s problems, especially in the right-back position.

Given the blow, Xavi Hernandez is likely to look at the prospect of bringing in one or two youth players to fill the void.

Marc Casado: The ideal choice for Xavi

According to a recent report from SPORT, Marc Casado is seemingly emerging as an attractive option for Xavi.

The Barcelona coach rates the young defensive midfielder quite highly because of his versatile nature and, as such, there is a possibility he may feature in the upcoming game against Cadiz.

Although a defensive midfielder by trade, Casado is capable of operating on the right-hand side as a right-back, if necessary.

Xavi believes Casado has what it takes to replace Araujo, at least for the upcoming game against Cadiz.

It is no secret that the profiles of Araujo and Casado are not similar at all, with the latter being much shorter and technically astute.

But perhaps that is what Barcelona require as they look for a temporary fix for the right-back position.

Casado might not have a great deal of experience at the highest level of football, but the teenage sensation has had a good amount of training with the first team.

Not to mention, the youngster made his professional debut against Viktoria Plzen last season, and is well aware of the club’s tactical setup, making him an excellent choice for Xavi and co.

In the meantime, though, Barcelona are working on a deal to sign Joao Cancelo on a loan deal. The club are closing in on an agreement with Manchester City and the deal soon be finalised.