Barcelona want to sign La Liga star as Sergio Busquets' backup in the summer - Reports

Reports from Mundo Deportivo (via Fichajes.net) suggest that Barcelona are considering adding Dani Parejo to their squad as Sergio Busquets' backup in midfield. The 33-year-old's experience would complement Barca's youthful midfield comprising Gavi, 18, and Pedri, 20, well.

As the team plans for next season, their objective is to compete for all available titles, and they see Parejo as a player who can rotate with Sergio Busquets, who is expected to renew his contract. Despite his age, Parejo is one of the finest holding midfielders in the league and has many of the qualities that Busquets possesses.

🚨 JUST IN: The mystery player Barcelona is following for the summer is Parejo. @gerardromero #Transfers 🇪🇸

While Parejo's contract ends in 2024, the Catalan outfit are confident they can convince him to terminate it and join them next summer on a free. The Villareal midfielder's versatility makes him a valuable option as he can serve as Busquets' backup and play in other positions.

🚨🚨| JUST IN: It cannot be ruled out that FC Barcelona end up signing both İlkay Gündoğan & Dani Parejo this summer.
@martinezferran [🎖️] https://t.co/IbxBmcDoY4

Although the team's priority is to sign Ilkay Gündogan, they remain open to the possibility of adding Parejo to their squad if the opportunity presents itself. The two midfielders have complimentary profiles and can easily play together.

Barcelona have potential first-team talent in their loaned-out players

Barcelona are a side with multiple players away on loan this season, and not all of them will be guaranteed a spot on the team upon their return at the end of the campaign. According to reports from SPORT (via Barca Universal), Samuel Umtiti, Clement Lenglet, and Alex Collado could all be sold permanently.

However, there are two players who have the potential to impress Xavi and earn a place in his plans: Abde Ezzalzouli and Nico Gonzalez.

Ezzalzouli has impressed at Osasuna with three goals and two assists in 22 matches, drawing interest from clubs in England and Spain. Barcelona will make a decision about his future after pre-season, as the club needs to offload some players.

Meanwhile, according to SPORT, Xavi has a soft spot for Nico Gonzalez, who is currently on loan at Valencia and has featured for them 14 times in the league. Barca are closely monitoring his progress and are hopeful that he can make the leap to becoming a prominent member of the team next season.

However, given the competition for midfield spots, Nico may find himself struggling for minutes once again. The 21-year-old may opt to look for more playing time elsewhere if he feels his opportunities are limited at Camp Nou.