Sergio Busquets' departure from Camp Nou this summer has left Barcelona with an enormous hole to fill.
For the last 15 years, Busquets' metronomic vision and control have been integral to Barcelona's identity. His loss is a huge one which is perhaps only exceeded by Lionel Messi's exit in 2021.
Manager Xavi has spoken openly about the importance of signing a new defensive midfielder this summer. Ilkay Gundogan has arrived to bolster further forwards, but at the base of midfield, questions remain.
While Frenkie de Jong can take the role, the Dutchman would be wasted in such a position and so Barcelona should be looking to dip their toes into the transfer market, although their woeful financial situation will severely limit their options.
With all that in mind, here are five players Barcelona should be looking at.
Oriol Romeu
Age: 31
Club: Girona
A cheap, plug-and-play option would be 31-year-old Oriol Romeu, whose release clause of under €10m immediately makes him an appealing prospect.
Romeu spent this past season shining at the base of a Girona midfield that was among La Liga's most exciting, and while he might not be a perfect replacement for Busquets, there's no denying he can do a job at a high level.
At 31, he'd be a short-term solution but Barcelona may actually prefer that. After all, finding the right player for this role is crucial and there's no point rushing this decision if the perfect candidate is not currently attainable.
As a former La Masia graduate, Romeu already knows the DNA of Barcelona and is one of a limited number of options who wouldn't need time to get up to speed.
Sofyan Amrabat
Age: 26
Club: Fiorentina
The World Cup was perhaps the best thing to happen to Sofyan Amrabat as the Morocco star used the global stage to raise his profile tenfold.
After impressing in Qatar, Amrabat's performances have continued to attract plenty of praise. He's an excellent passer who loves to sit deep and pull the strings, which is the simplest essence of the Busquets role.
With just 12 months left on his contract and a clear stance that he will not be renewing, Amrabat looks likely to be sold this summer and will likely be available on the cheap as a result.
Reports have suggested Amrabat is prioritising a move to Barcelona over interest from a number of other suitors, so the Blaugrana may not even need to work hard to get this one over the line.
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Martin Zubimendi
Age: 24
Club: Real Sociedad
As far as replacements for Busquets go, there are few players who look more suited for the role than Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi.
The 24-year-old is incredibly intelligent and looks exactly like the sort of player Barcelona want to build around, and club officials are well aware of that. They've been looking at Zubimendi for months, but all that research has unearthed a real problem - his release clause.
Sociedad do not want to let him go and will therefore direct any suitors to his €60m release clause, which is a reasonable figure for someone of Zubimendi's talent but also wildly out of Barcelona's budget.
If they can sell enough players to raise the money, or perhaps even offer those players to Sociedad in exchange, this is a deal worth pursuing.
Alan Varela
Age: 22
Club: Boca Juniors
Spanish sides are never scared to pluck talents from South America, and that bravery should see them move for Boca's Alan Varela.
A composed defender who has already mastered the art of scanning, Varela looks like a future superstar in this role. Barcelona could easily put the finishing touches on his game and turn him into an elite midfielder.
He's obviously an enormous risk, having never played outside of Argentina, but Varela's play style is a fascinating one which echoes a lot of what fans have grown to love from Busquets.
A number of teams from across Europe have taken notice of Varela's skill set and he may not be on the market for much longer. For a team in Barcelona's perilous financial position, this may be the final chance they have to sign Varela.
Hugo Guillamon
Age: 23
Club: Valencia
A centre-back by trade, Hugo Guillamon has been pushed into a defensive midfield role in the past few years, and although his transition hasn't been perfect, the 23-year-old has shown more than enough to convince Barcelona of his worth.
Smart in possession and more than happy to help out in defence, Guillamon is an intriguing option who has often been used in defence on the international stage because of the sheer level of competition in defensive midfield.
Guillamon is under contract until 2026 but Valencia's well-known financial struggles mean nearly any player can be picked up on the cheap, so this is a real opportunity for Barcelona to bag themselves a bargain.
Xavi would need to afford Guillamon time to adjust to such a high level, but the rewards of doing so could be huge.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Five defensive midfielders Barcelona should be trying to sign this summer.
