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Lionel Messi fumes at Barcelona for missing out on generational defender

By Atharva Khadilkar

SEVILLE, SPAIN - MAY 25: Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona looks dejected after the Spanish Copa del Rey match between Barcelona and Valencia at Estadio Benito Villamarin on May 25, 2019 in Seville. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images)
SEVILLE, SPAIN - MAY 25: Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona looks dejected after the Spanish Copa del Rey match between Barcelona and Valencia at Estadio Benito Villamarin on May 25, 2019 in Seville. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images) /
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Lionel Messi is not a happy man after Barcelona have once again let other clubs overtake them in their race for a world-class defender.

Barcelona have been slack in their transfer decisions of late. Not being able to sign Neymar last year as well as missing out on Matthijs de Ligt to Juventus in the summer should’ve been a lesson learnt, but wasn’t. That being said, the Blaugrana may have missed out on Villarreal’s Pau Torres as well, who was tipped to make a move to the Camp Nou.

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Don Balon reports that Pau Torres was scouted extensively by the Barcelona analysts and had emerged as a player with enough quality to feature for the Blaugrana. Lionel Messi too had approved the central defender’s signing, but as things turned out, Barca’s board was slow in approaching the Castellon based side over negotiations.

Pau Torres is now the subject of interest from the Premier League, with Arsenal and Manchester United set to battle it out for the 35 million euro signing. The Spaniard has not yet informed Villarreal what he wants to do in the transfer window, but certainly seems to have been enticed by interest from two of the world’s most highly-regarded clubs.

Gerard Pique has been catching up with age really fast and there has been talk that the former Spain international may call it a day on his Barcelona career in the summer of 2021. Pique plans to spend a few years playing for David Beckham’s Inter Miami side in the MLS and despite having his future more or less cut out, Barca haven’t signed his replacement.

Matthijs de Ligt is now on Juventus’ books and his move to Catalonia looks unlikely, as does Pau Torres’ now that he seems more inclined towards a switch to England. The likes of Kalidou Koulibaly and Milan Skriniar who are two of the world’s best defenders right now are exorbitantly priced as well, putting them beyond Barcelona’s leverage.

Next. Barcelona locate a local alternative to Neymar from La Liga. dark

Who do you think can be a good replacement for Gerard Pique at Barcelona?

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