One of the main objectives for FC Barcelona heading into the summer window is to strengthen the pivot midfield position.
Having signed Oriol Romeu to address the departure of Sergio Busquets last summer, Barcelona have seen that manoeuvre fail spectacularly, with the ex-Girona man fully out of favour now.
As such, Xavi Hernandez, set to continue as manager, is seeking a top player for the position, but the financial situation might not allow for it, although there is hope that the club will sign if they return to the 1:1 rule.
At the same time, though, having seen talents like Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi explode in the first-team level, Barcelona could look to repeat the trick by promoting someone from La Masia.
To that end, SPORT reports that Barcelona might look at two homegrown solutions for the pivot midfield position for next season.
Marc Casado
The current captain of Barça Atletic, Marc Casado has featured a few times for the first team but has never gotten an extended run. The youngster’s contract expires at the end of the season and Barça want to renew his contract until 2027.
At the age of 20, Casado is fully prepared to make the leap to the senior team. He understands the game well and is familiar with the club’s philosophy while also being able to play as a right-back.
Marc Bernal
From the same class as Yamal and Cubarsi, from 2007, Marc Bernal is a midfielder who has a very high ceiling. At 16 years of age, he has played 24 games for Barça Atletic.
A physical specimen given his young age, Bernal stands at 1.90m tall, possesses a great left foot, and can operate as a pivot or an interior.
