Barcelona Has Shortlisted A Replacement For Ageing Sergio Busquets

Barcelona, one of La Liga’s powerhouses, is considering the possibility of acquiring Martin Zubimendi, who has a €60 million release clause in his Real Sociedad contract, according to reports.

Spanish publication Fichajes claims that Martin Zubimendi is the subject of attention from Barcelona over a potential summer transfer. A €60 million release clause has been included in his Real Sociedad contract.

Real Sociedad young player Martin Zubimendi has gone a long way since he joined the club’s development program as a 12-year-old in 2011. Before making his first-team debut in April 2019, the Spanish international made swift progress through the ranks of the club. His development has been remarkable over the previous two and a half years, from being a brilliant midfielder to being a vital role for La Real.

Barcelona News: Barcelona is showing extensive interest in Martin Zubimendi as a replacement for Sergio Busquets

The 23-year-old is mostly a defensive midfielder for Real Sociedad, and he has made 84 appearances for the club thus far, with 32 of them coming during the current season. Zubimendi’s growth has also not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona among the teams that have been keeping a close eye on him in recent months.

The reason why Barcelona is interested in him is because the renowned midfielder Sergio Busquets is nearing the conclusion of his remarkable career. Even if he has been playing with fresh vigour since Xavi Hernandez was appointed as manager, the 33-year-old has already exhibited traces of his age catching up with him.

However, since Busquets has been one of the Catalan giants’ most significant players throughout the years, they are putting in place a succession plan for him. Barcelona had identified Marcelo Brozovic as a significant target for this reason, and the Blaugrana were willing to give him a contract worth €8 million per year if he agreed to sign with them.

Brozovic, on the other hand, is prepared to commit his long-term future to Inter Milan, with the Nerazzurri expected to announce the extension of his contract shortly. As a result, Barcelona will need to look for another defensive midfielder, which puts Zubimendi into the equation.

The pursuit of the 23-year-old Spanish international, however, will be hampered by the fact that his Real Sociedad contract has a €60 million release clause. With his current contract expiring in June 2025, it is doubtful that Barcelona will be able to get a reasonable asking price from their rival La Liga team. As a result of their catastrophic fnancial predicament, Barcelona may be forced to look for a less expensive option.