Top 5 replacements for Carles Puyol

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol recently announced that he would be leaving Barcelona at the end of the current season.The 36 year old is one of the longest serving players in the clubs history. His 19 year association with the club will bring an end to a career that has seen him win three Champions League titles,six Spanish League titles, two Spanish cups and two FIFA club world cups.Known for his no-nonsense and marauding style of defending, he would be remembered as one of the greatest defenders and captains to represent the Catalan club.The past 2 years have been a nightmare with the recurrent knee problems and surgeries leading to loss of form and him becoming a shadow of his former self. His 100% commitment, captaincy and combative spirit will be missed sorely by the club. It will be a huge task replacing the Beast and is something that the club will have to seriously start assessing right away.Lets take a look at 5 players who might be able to take Puyols place at the Camp Nou

#1 Mats Hummels

One of the most widely rated central defenders in Europe, Mats Hummels is a player who would be a natural replacement for Puyol. He has a perfect blend of physical stature, pace, aerial ability and a knack for scoring goals.

The 24-year-old center-back has long been considered a gem in Germany. He was an instrumental part in ensuring that Borussia Dortmund had the best defensive records in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 when the team conceded only 22 goals in the league.

He is known for his ball playing ability, having a very high pass percentage among his other peers and is an excellent man marker. He is renowned for his clean tackling which is evident from the fact that he has never been sent off till date. 

He would be able to forge a formidable partnership with Gerard Pique who is considered one of his competitors in Europe’s elite category. Currently rated at £25m, he would be a prized catch