FC BARCELONA
Five FC Barcelona ex-academy players that Xavi could sign in the summer transfer window
With Barça keeping one eye on the future, these players are potential candidates who could sign when the season ends.
With the season in its final stretch, several clubs have one eye looking ahead to the next campaign, and Barça is no exception. The Barça philosophy, and even more so with Xavi, requires its players to adapt to a specific style. These are five examples of players who would easily adapt to the Blaugrana game due to their past at Can Barça and who, furthermore, due to the club’s situation, would not be unlikely options.
The first on the list is a player who is well-known by the Barcelona fans and his return has been mentioned several times: Dani Olmo. The Catalan midfielder, who emigrated to Croatia in search of minutes at Dinamo Zagreb before moving to Leipzig, has finally found his place in the elite of European football. A regular in different positions across both the midfield and in attack for the German team since his arrival, Olmo could return to the team that raised him, and he could try to become a fixture in Xavi’s new scheme with four midfielders.
Another youth squad player who emigrated and could prove useful is Xavi Simons . Once one of the best-known youth players in the world, the Dutchman has established himself at PSV. His amazing numbers this season, with 16 goals and eight assists, put him high on the list of Europe’s top youngsters. Barça could find in him a versatile player capable of playing in the middle or in more advanced positions who would easily adapt to the Blaugrana philosophy.
Arnau Martínez also makes the list. The Girona right-back could return to Barça to occupy a right side devoid of natural defensive players. In his first year in the Primera División, the 19-year-old Catalan has shown that he is a more than valid player for the level. His arrival would not be unreasonable, the defender would surely welcome the leap to Barça and the price would not be out of reach. Now that the right-back is a position that players like Koundé or Sergi Roberto constantly have to adapt to, the return of the full-back would be a sensible decision for the club.
Next on the list is Thiago Alcántara. Despite being an important player for many months at Liverpool, this season, mainly due to injuries, he has lost his importance in the side. Given that Xavi is looking for another centre-midfielder, Thiago would be the ideal candidate: he knows the club and would quickly adapt to the style of play. In addition, his seniority is something that the manager would welcome, given the fact that mature player profiles like Gündoğan are being looked at.
The final name on the list is Sergio Gómez. The 22-year-old, who started out as a midfielder at La Masia, has undergone a curious change over time that has led him to the left back position. He currently plays for Manchester City under the guidance of an old acquaintance, Pep Guardiola. The similarity of ideas between both clubs and their ease of adapting to midfield positions would also facilitate his potential acclimatisation to the Barça style. In addition, the Catalan would be perfect to compete with Balde for the starting spot.
LaLiga Santander 2022/2023
| Classification | PTS | WM | TM | LM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Barcelona | 71 | 23 | 2 | 2 |
| 2Real Madrid | 59 | 18 | 5 | 4 |
| 3Atlético de Madrid | 54 | 16 | 6 | 5 |
*Data updated to date Apr 7th, 2023