Three Alternative Midfield Targets Instead of Marco Verratti

PARIS, FRANCE - FEBRUARY 14: Andres Iniesta of Barcelona battles for the ball with Marco Verratti of Paris Saint-Germain during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona at Parc des Princes on February 14, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) /

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The Catalans had a clear area of weakness in midfield last season, and this hindered their ability to control games. This has been identified as a key area to bolster by the board with Verratti as the main target. However, he has a contract which runs until 2021, so PSG have plenty of leverage over him. They are unwilling to let him go unless it is for a ridiculous price, and a transfer saga should be avoided.

This means that Barça should start looking for other tidy, efficient playmakers as alternatives. Signing players early on in the pre-season gives them a better chance of fitting into the team by the time the actual season starts. This is vital for team chemistry because of the contribution these players would bring to the creative side of play.

In this article, there are three potential targets who would fit the bill rather nicely. None of them would be as big a signing as Verratti, but they each have the ability to address Barcelona’s current midfield weakness.