5 Players who could replace Sergio Busquets at Barcelona
There is no doubt over Barcelona legend Sergio Busquets' rightful place alongside other greats of modern football. The Spaniard, along with Andres Iniesta and Xavi, formed arguably one of the greatest midfields to have existed in football, helping Barcelona and Spain establish an era of unprecedented dominance across all fronts.
Busquets was never a player who stole the headlines, but helped them assert control over opposition teams playing as the deepest midfielder. His passing range, reading of the game, and positioning to break up play is nearly unparalleled.
While Busquets, set to turn 33 in two months, was never the most athletic player in the world, he relied upon his reading and knowledge of the game to be in the right place at the right time. However, the sheer amount of football he's played over the last 13 years has finally begun to catch up with him as he's slower and noticeably weaker than before, signalling a potential end of an era.
Replacing a player such as Busquets is not going to be an easy task for Barcelona as he's arguably one of the most unique midfield maestros the game has seen in quite some time. However, he can't keep going on forever, and the Blaugrana will eventually have to replace the eight-time LaLiga Santander winner.
On that note, here, we take a look at five potential players for Barcelona to consider should they enter the transfer market.
5 Busquets replacements for Barcelona
#5 Adrien Rabiot | Juventus
Adrien Rabiot is a name that Barcelona have been linked with several times in the past, and with good reason. The Frenchman is blessed with a powerful physique and superb ability on the ball, allowing him to win the ball back in midfield and find his teammates with precise distribution.
Rabiot has averaged just under three tackles for Juventus this season and is excellent in the air, allowing them to dominate aerially in the middle. Juventus signed him on a free in 2019, and although he's played 29 times in Serie A for the champions, Rabiot has been constantly linked with moves away from Turin.
With his contract expiring in the summer of 2023 and Juventus keen to rebuild their midfield, Barcelona could potentially recruit Rabiot for a cut-price fee to anchor their midfield.
#4 Eduardo Camavinga | Rennes
The most long-term option for Barcelona to consider replacing Sergio Busquets with is Eduardo Camavinga of Rennes. The 18-year-old Frenchman broke onto the scene last season as he helped his side qualify for the UEFA Champions League and made his debut for the French national side, attracting interest from Europe's top clubs.
Camavinga is an excellent tackler who keeps things simple on the ball. This year in Ligue 1, the midfielder has averaged just under two successful dribbles a game and 6.57 progressive carries, with only six players making more tackles than him. He averages four tackles per 90, and has completed 84% of his long balls.
While the Rennes star has some way to go if he hopes to emulate someone as gifted as Busquets, there is no doubt that he can eventually grow into a brilliant deep-lying midfielder player for Barcelona.
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