Xavi asks Barcelona to make ‘last effort’ to sign midfielder after Pedri injury

Pedri’s injury might leave Barcelona scrambling for a new midfielder during the dying embers of the summer transfer window.

The Spain international’s promising start to the season has hit a roadblock due to a fresh injury concern. The 20-year-old has injured the quadriceps area and is expected to be out for more than a month.

Pedri started as the most advanced midfielder in Xavi’s box-midfield in the opening two games and appeared to have built a very swift connection with his midfield partner İlkay Gündoğan, who accurately picked the former’s goal-leading run into the penalty area against Cadiz. But another frustrating spell on the sidelines has put brakes on this emerging partnership.

This has also left a void open for a creative midfielder in a team who has struggled to slice open low-block defences in their opening two league games.

Barcelona could do with another midfield signing following Pedri’s injury

Giovani Lo Celso has been on Barcelona’s radar all summer, but Tottenham Hotspur’s reluctance to part ways with the Argentine either on loan or for cheap has made the pursuit very challenging for the La Liga giants.

The same financial constraints also stopped Barca from making a concrete approach for Xavi’s dream target, Bernardo Silva. The Portuguese has now extended his contract at Manchester City

However, according to Javi Miguel, Xavi has asked the club’s hierarchy to make one last effort to sign Lo Celso. Whether Spurs soften their stance on the 27-year-old, who’s unlikely to start ahead of James Maddison in North London, remains to be seen.

In the event (which appears to be the most likely outcome at the moment), Barcelona fail to make any new midfield signing, Gavi is the obvious replacement for Pedri in the midfield-four. Fermín López is another La Masia talent that could be handed a few minutes. He made a positive impression during pre-season.