Barcelona have reportedly identified Sassuolo’s French midfielder Maxime Lopez as a potential long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets.
According to Fichajes, Barcelona have set their sights on US Sassuolo midfielder Maxime Lopez as they ramp up their search for a player to take over from club captain Sergio Busquets in the near future.
Lopez came through the youth ranks at Olympique de Marseille, whom he joined in 2010. Having made his first-team bow in 2016, the midfielder went on to feature 150 times for the Ligue 1 outfit before joining Sassuolo in the summer of 2020.
Lopez joined the Italian outfit on a loan deal and made a huge impression in his maiden campaign in Serie A, prompting Sassuolo to sign him permanently last summer. The 24-year-old has become a mainstay in the centre of the park for the Neroverdi, racking up 67 appearances, in which he has managed six goal-contributions as well.
A defensive midfielder by trade, Lopez has shone brightly playing as the single pivot in a 4-3-3 at Sassuolo and looks set to take the next step in his career. And Barcelona have emerged as a potential suitor for the French-Algerian midfielder heading into the summer window.
Barcelona are staring at a vital summer window as they look to put the disappointment of the 2021/22 campaign behind them and topple arch-rivals Real Madrid from their perch. While they have been bogged down by financial problems, the recent assembly vote in favour of selling stakes in some of the club’s assets should help bring in funds for the Blaugrana to chase their targets.
Robert Lewandowski is the top priority for Barcelona this summer, while they are also looking to bring in another quality defender despite having a deal in place to add Andreas Christensen to their roster. At the same time, Barcelona are also looking to bring in a new defensive midfielder who can provide cover for Sergio Busquets and eventually replace him in the long run.
Ruben Neves of Wolves has emerged as their primary target for the role, but the Portuguese international can be an expensive signing for the Catalan giants. Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi is also on the radars of Barcelona but will cost them €60 million. It has led to Barcelona setting their sights on Lopez as an alternative.
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However, the 24-year-old is tied to a contract with Sassuolo until 2025, which puts the Italian outfit in a strong negotiating position. So, it remains to be seen if Barcelona decide to firm up their interest in Lopez or look at other alternatives as they continue their search for a long-term heir for Busquets.
