Sergio Busquets is 33-years-old and not getting any younger. Many are calling for Busquets to be “replaced”, but with who and how can Barcelona hope to do that? The likely answer is a switch to a double pivot, and there are a number of young players that could fit the timeline and the profile to mitigate the loss of the legend.
If you don’t have time to watch the video, here are the candidates:
Frenkie de Jong
- 24-year-old for Barcelona
- Would likely play best in a double pivot or as a CB in a back 3
- Wants to dribble into space himself more than playing the long ball
- Works better in a more expansive role that allows him to get forward
Nico Gonzalez
- 20-year-old for Barcelona
- Grew up as an interior, but learned to play as the lone pivot last season with Barça B
- Likes to get forward when possible and covers a lot of ground
- May not have the elite defensive reading of the game to play as a single pivot
Aurelien Tchouameni
- 22-year-old for Monaco
- Can play as a single pivot or in a double pivot
- May have the highest defensive upside of anyone of the list
- Terrific at delivering long balls and reading the game
- Likely outside of Barça’s price range and headed to the EPL in the summer
Bruno Guimarães
- 24-year-old for Lyon
- Plays in a double pivot
- Can get forward with his dribbling but also likes to deliver the final ball in possession
- Press resistant and good in a tackle
- Likely on his way to Newcastle unfortunately
Maxence Caqueret
- 21-year-old for Lyon
- Plays in a double pivot in a 3-4-3 alongside Guimarães
- Good composure and press resistant
- Maybe a lower upside, but could do the job that lets de Jong and Nico push forward
Boubacar Kamara
- 22-year-old for Marseille
- Plays in a single or double pivot
- Time as CB helped him learn to read the game
- His metrics on long balls are promising
- Upcoming free agent with a lot of suitors
Florian Grillitsch
- 26-year-old for Hoffenheim
- Safest pick on the list and an upcoming free agent
- Plays as both CB in a back 3 and as CDM, where he’s most natural
- Might be a stop gap for Busquets until Barça can find a long-term and younger option
Khephren Thuram
- 20-year-old for Nice
- Raw skills and youngest on this list
- Son of Lilian Thuram, but different player
- Can get forward a bit and defensive metrics reveal a high upside
Martin Zubimendi
- 22-year-old for Real Sociedad
- Plays in crowded La Real midfield
- Has played as both a double pivot and single pivot
- May not have a high enough ceiling
Jandro Orellana
- 21-year-old for Barcelona B
- Needs to stay healthy
- Good with the long ball but may struggle defending without other coverage
- One of the better options in a single pivot
Franck Kessie
- 25-year-old for AC Milan
- Going to be a free agent
- Plays in a double pivot for Milan and likes to get forward when able
- Underrated passer
Dan Hilton is an American journalist, broadcaster, and current Editor-in-Chief of BarcaBlog. Extensive work as a play-by-play broadcaster, producer behind the scenes, and quite average player in his younger years has given him a well-rounded and informative perspective on the sport. Alongside BarcaBlog founder Francesc, Dan started The Barcelona Podcast in 2017
