Barcelona identify four long-term replacements for Gerard Pique

Barcelona are reportedly monitoring five players as potential long-term candidates for replacing Gerard Pique as part of a defensive overhaul

Barcelona are in desperate need of a defensive restructure, with Gerard Pique at 32 years of age moving towards the twilight of his career. The Spaniard continues to play the main center-back role for the club since the retirement of ex-captain Carles Puyol.

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The defender will be celebrating his 33rd birthday on 2nd February next year getting him ever closer to the eminent end of his career but continues to be a crucial player for Blaugrana, having signed a contract extension in 2018 that will see him in a Barca shirt until 2022.

There is no doubt that Umtiti was regarded as one of the best defenders in world football but since his reoccurring knee injury, the French international has looked like a shadow of his former self. Another Central defender available is Jean-Clair Todibo who has displayed immense potential to develop but has been linked with AC Milan and Everton for a loan move away from the Nou Camp.

AS report that Barca are monitoring defenders to eventually replace Pique in a few years. The names on the list are,

Matthijs de Ligt has repeatedly been linked with a move to Barca and is slowly become the next “Neymar saga”. That has not stopped Blaugrana from keeping tabs on the player’s performance with Juventus and continue to be attracted to the idea of De Ligt being the successor for Pique.

Barca have placed Andreas Christensen as one of their main targets for this year, as per Football Espana. The Chelsea defender is currently struggling to make a positive impression at Stamford Bridge despite coming back from an impressive loan spell with Borussia Monchengladbach. Having said that, it remains to see if Chelsea will make the Denmark international available in the transfer window.

Frank Lampard’s Chelsea have recently found out that their transfer ban would be lifted for the January transfer window, which allows them to sell a potentially promising talent while having an option to replace him. The player’s current contract expires in the summer of 2022.

Nikola Milenkovic has made a name for himself in Serie A after breaking into Fiorentina’s first-team last season. The 22-year-old has proved to be a reliable talent who has great control over the ball. Viola’s manager Stefano Pioli has even played the youngster at the right-back position, proving that the Serbia international is a versatile defender with great technical ability.

The former Partizan defender is a wanted man in Europe with the likes of Manchester United keeping tabs on the youngster. The Italian club are ready to let go of the Serbian for a hefty price. Milenkovic would bring stability to the Barca defense and could be the permanent solution for the aging Spaniard, Gerard Pique. Nikola could also provide support from the right-back position which is another problematic area for the Catalan giants.

Diego Carlos was signed by Sevilla last summer for a transfer fee of €15 million from Nantes and has since been a sensational discovery of Monchi. Barca have identified the 26-year-old as a potential main centre-back but El Desmarque reports that Real Madrid wants him as the long-term replacement for Sergio Ramos instead, along with Liverpool willing to trigger the defender’s release clause of €75 million.

Which of these Defenders would you like to see in a Barca shirt?