Barcelona superstar Gerard Pique has been slowing down and has suggested that the club looks to replace him gradually with a quality player.
Real Madrid’s defeat at Real Betis on Sunday evening meant that Barcelona returned to the summit of La Liga just seven days after losing El Clasico. The Catalans’ 1-0 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday was enough to keep them in the running for their third successive league title where Lionel Messi was the difference maker.
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Despite having a two point lead over their arch rivals, the Blaugrana have 11 matches to contest until the end of this season and need to be at their best. Quique Setien would be hoping that there are no lapses for his side, who has the title’s fate in its own hands now. Barca’s defence has been shaky of late, but there will be reinforcements in the summer.
Gerard Pique has been ageing and Samuel Umtiti has not met expectations since the last two years or so, hence making a central defender’s signing in the summer an inevitable move. Don Balon has claimed that Pique has asked the club to sanction a move for Sevilla’s rock solid centre back Diego Carlos in the upcoming transfer window.
Sevilla value the Brazilian defender at a sum of 80 million euros, primarily for two reasons. They signed him only last summer from Nantes and secondly because he has established himself into the club’s strongest starting eleven without much to decide having instantly showed his quality. Moreover, he does have a long-term contract with the Andalusians.
Barcelona’s plan with their potential signing would be to keep him a sporadic player in his first season at the club and experiment alongside different defenders and in other positions as well. With that said, Pique will continue to be the regular centre back and be a mentor to Diego Carlos, who would be a brilliant signing for the Blaugrana in the summer.
Do you think Diego Carlos could become a worthy successor to Gerard Pique at Camp Nou?