Catalan giants Barcelona are reportedly considering 23-year-old Spanish international Martin Zubimendi as the priority option to succeed Sergio Busquets.
According to reputed Spanish journalist Javi Miguel, Martin Zubimendi has become the priority candidate for Barcelona to be Sergio Busquets’s successor. Miguel also added that Ruben Neves is not an option for the Blaugrana right now due to his prohibitive price tag.
Martin Zubimendi has been at Real Sociedad since joining the Basque club’s youth setup as a 12-year-old in 2011. And the Spanish international has gone from strength to strength in the past decade, especially following his first-team breakthrough in April 2019, becoming a pivotal figure for La Real.
A defensive midfielder by trade, the 23-year-old has turned out 99 times thus far for Real Sociedad, chipping in with three goals and two assists. Zubimendi’s progress has not gone unnoticed either, with some of the most high profile clubs in Europe, including Barcelona, setting their sights on him.
The interest from Barcelona stems from the advancing years of Sergio Busquets. The veteran Spanish international is in the final phase of his storied career. And the Catalan giants need to lay down a succession plan for him to ensure a smooth transition to the next generation.
Nico Gonzalez could be a viable option to succeed Busquets from within the first-team squad in the coming decade. But the young midfielder faces an uncertain future at FC Barcelona amid interest from Manchester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and clubs in Spain. Zubimendi has thus emerged as an option worth considering for Barcelona.
The Blaugrana had also shown an interest in Ruben Neves, but Wolverhampton Wanderers’ price tag for the Portuguese international is prohibitive. Zubimendi has thus become the priority option in Barcelona’s search for Busquets’s long-term successor.
But there are a few factors that will determine Barcelona’s success in the pursuit of the Spanish international. Most importantly, Frenkie de Jong’s departure will play a pivotal role in their ability to fund the move for Zubimendi, considering their financial struggles. If he does arrive at Camp Nou, the 23-year-old will likely compete with Busquets before eventually succeeding the Barcelona captain as the first-choice holding midfielder.
