Despite Oriol Romeu’s arrival at Barcelona, the pivot position remains the only position in the team without depth. Consequently, as reported by MD, Xavi Hernández is already considering strengthening this position in January.
Barça could line up a trio of midfielders from the Premier League, and a couple of them could be bargain opportunities in January, given that some contracts expire in June, which would allow for early departures at reasonable prices.
João Palhinha
One highly-rated player for Barcelona is Portuguese midfielder João Palhinha, who came close to joining Bayern Munich this summer but saw the deal fall through. The 28-year-old is a tall and powerful pivot with excellent ball distribution skills. Whether his move to Bayern is revived in January or he explores other options remains to be seen, but he has been unhappy at Fulham, where his contract runs until 2027 (Transfermarkt), with the potential obstacle being his price.
Jorginho
Another player with potential and available at a reasonable price is Arsenal’s Jorginho (31). His contract, expiring in June 2024, has seen him relegated to a substitute role since Declan Rice’s arrival. Jorginho brings experience from top-tier teams, including Chelsea.
Thiago Alcántara
Former Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcántara’s contract with Liverpool ends in June 2024. At 32, he might have a final opportunity to return to Barcelona, a city with ties to his family. Beyond his familiarity with the club, Thiago offers elite versatility for Xavi’s team, having also played at Bayern Munich.
Conclusion
Due to Barcelona’s financial troubles, it would make sense for them to target players like Jorginho and Thiago as they will be cheap and both offer a wealth of experience, which will be needed in European competition for example.
A player like João Palhinha would be a great addition to Xavi’s system and would transform the midfield, but it could be that the Portuguese international will be out of their price range.
Jake Staniland | GSFN
