Barcelona boss Xavi 'is desperate to sign Martin Zubimendi'
Barcelona boss Xavi ‘is desperate to sign Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi and sees the midfielder as the heir to Sergio Busquets’ at the Nou Camp… but the club will likely have to pay his £52m release clause
- Busquets, 34, announced he was leaving Barcelona after 15 seasons at the club
- Xavi Hernandez wants to sign Zubimendi, 24, to replace Busquets next season
- To lower the cost of his release clause, they are said to have offered Sergino Dest
Barcelona boss Xavi is reportedly desperate to sign Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi and sees the midfielder as the heir to Sergio Busquets at the Nou Camp.
Busquets, whose contract runs out at the end of the season, announced he was leaving Barcelona last week after 15 seasons at the club.
The 34-year-old had been offered a new deal by the Catalan giants but signing it would have meant taking a 70 per cent pay cut.
To replace Busquets next season, manager Xavi Hernandez wants to sign Zubimendi, according to Barca Universal.
In October, the Spanish ace, 24, extended his existing deal at Real Sociedad until 2027.
Barcelona boss Xavi is reportedly desperate to sign Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi
The Barca manager sees the midfielder, 24, as the heir to Sergio Busquets at the Nou Camp
The midfielder turned down Arsenal’s advances over the January window, despite the fact the Gunners were willing to pay his £52.5million release clause.
The player insisted that he was not interested in leaving Sociedad halfway through the season – a point he repeated in an interview with Sport.
‘Rumors, rumors, because I told my manager that I didn’t want to hear anything, especially in winter,’ Zubimendi said, when asked about the links with Arsenal.
‘Leaving Real Sociedad with the season we are having would be illogical. Here I am very happy.’
And when asked whether he anticipates the saga being reignited this summer, he added: ‘I look forward to a quiet summer. Like the others and nothing.’
To lower the cost of his release clause, worth €60million, Barca are said to have offered Sergino Dest in exchange.
The US international has been struggling for game time since his loan move to AC Milan from Barcelona in the summer.
Dest starred for the USMNT at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar – starting every match as the Americans made it out of the group stage before falling to Holland.
He was signed by Barca from Ajax in 2020 when Ronald Koeman was managing the club.
To lower the cost of his release clause Barca are said to have offered Sergino Dest in exchange
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