Barcelona star rebuffed by His teammate Sergio Busquets as he presents transfer guidance
Sergio Busquets has endorsed four players to replace him at Barcelona, but Frenkie de Jong is not among them.
After 15 years with the Catalan titans, during which he won nine La Liga titles, three Champions League titles, and a number of other trophies, the 34-year-old will depart this summer for greener pastures.
The midfielder, who won the 2010 World Cup with Spain, has been linked with a transfer to Saudi Arabia alongside fellow Barça legend Lionel Messi.
This season, despite the financial uncertainty surrounding Xavi’s squad, they still won Spain’s top division. It was a fitting farewell for Busquets, with attention now shifting to how the club will replace a player who made 747 appearances for them in all competitions.
Frenkie de Jong, a Dutch playmaker, remains at the club despite rumors linking him to a reconciliation with Erik ten Hag at Manchester United.
Busquets appeared to dismiss the £65 million-rated player when asked who should replace him as the midfield fulcrum of Barcelona following his departure.
“My preferred option would be Rodri as Barca’s new pivot, but I’ve heard it’s extremely difficult,” he told RAC1. “(Joshua) Kimmich or (Martin) Zubimendi? Nico González is an internal option, but I believe Zubi is a superior fit for our style.”
Rodri’s leading role in Manchester City’s pursuit of the treble this season lends credence to the notion that it would be difficult to acquire him away from the club.
And while Guardiola has previously been willing to let big stars depart, most notably Cancelo in January, there has been no indication that the 26-year-old will be leaving the Etihad.
However, the designation of Gonzalez as the top ‘internal option’ will raise eyebrows.
The 21-year-old played frequently for Barcelona during the 2021/22 season, but has yet to establish himself at the club after being loaned to Valencia.
After last summer’s protracted dispute, it was inevitable that De Jong would be linked to Old Trafford once more.
The two clubs reportedly agreed on a transfer fee after United’s representatives traveled to Spain, but the deal was reportedly scuttled by the former Ajax player’s desire to recover wages owed to him by Barcelona as a result of his temporary pay reduction during the Covid-19 pandemic.
And according to reports, Ten Hag is eager to avoid another drawn-out pursuit and will look elsewhere if a deal cannot be finalized swiftly after the transfer window opens.
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Given the ages of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen, the Dutch manager desires midfield reinforcements after securing a return to the Champions League.
Barcelona star rebuffed by His teammate Sergio Busquets as he presents transfer guidance