Club president Joan Laporta spoke highly about acquiring a midfielder and a forward in the summer, but Xavi’s preference has long been getting a defender who is fast on the ball.
According to OnzeTv, Barça’s link with either Erling Haaland or Robert Lewandowski does not really excite Xavi as his priority is to strengthen an ageing defence consisting of the likes of Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba.
As quoted by OnzeTV, Xavi believes the current lot is extremely slow and when he speaks of fast defenders, the only players that come to his mind are Ronald Araujo and Sergino Dest.
To overcome the issue, the 42-year-old has asked the technical staff to prioritize the signings of fast defenders.
Now, it must be noted that Barcelona have already signed Andreas Christensen from Chelsea on a free transfer, meaning that any defensive reinforcement that would arrive over the summer would be that on the wings.
Sergino Dest, once tipped to leave, is the only right-back who could be considered as a long-term option as Dani Alves, 38, does not really have a lot left in his tank.
Ronald Araujo did perform well against Real Madrid on the right, but bear in mind that if he moves there, the central area would decelerate to a great extent.
On the left, Jordi Alba is an unassailable presence, and despite Barcelona’s best efforts in January, he remains the only viable option, at least until the end of the season.
And so, one can rightly expect the team to make an effort for either Valencia’s Jose Gaya or Ajax’s Nicolas Tagliafico.
On the right, it’s been quoted that a certain Noussair Mazraoui has attracted heavy interest, but Bayern Munich’s recent attraction might take things south for Barcelona.
And finally, if the Catalan management decides to pursue another central defender, a certain Lisandro Martinez’s name could well and truly bounce in the market once again.
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