Barcelona director’s four-man shortlist to reinforce the pivot midfield position – report

Heading into the summer transfer window, one of the major priorities for Barcelona sporting director Deco is to sign a top-quality pivot midfielder.

The position has been a problematic one for Barcelona this season following Sergio Busquets’ exit last summer. Oriol Romeu was brought in but has not been successful, prompting Xavi to use the likes of Andreas Christensen and Ilkay Gundogan in the role.

A permanent solution needs to be found in the summer though and Ferran Correas of SPORT reports that Deco has four players on his shortlist for the pivot midfield position.

Amadou Onana (Everton)

The Everton and Belgium midfield enforcer is the most-liked candidate within Can Barça. Onana is strong physically and can be a force in the air, good in terms of positional play, and at just 22, has a bright future ahead.

Deco has made contacts to explore the possibility of a transfer, but Everton’s €60 million asking price is too much for Barcelona.

But the director is keeping a close eye on the Belgian as well as Everton as their demands could reduce if they are relegated from the Premier League.

Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)

A player that Barcelona have had on the radars for a while now, Joshua Kimmich could be on the move from Bayern Munich this summer. The midfielder’s relationship with the Bavarians has deteriorated and his contract expires in 2025.

As such, it is being reported that Bayern Munich would be willing to offload the 29-year-old in the summer if the right offer comes along.

While that is good news for Barcelona, Kimmich’s transfer fee and wages could be an issue, not to forget the strong competition from several top Premier League clubs.

Mats Wieffer (Feyenoord)

Another player that the Barcelona management likes and has made an approach for already is Feyenoord’s Mats Wieffer, who is performing at a high level for the Dutch club.

Deco has already held talks with former Barcelona star and ex-Feyenoord manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst to learn more about the 24-year-old midfielder, who is known for his positional play and good ball output.

What makes Wieffer an enticing option is that he would cost significantly less than Onana or Kimmich, with a fee of €25 million likely to be enough for his signing.

Aleix Garcia (Girona)

The last name on the list is much closer to home, in the form of Girona’s Aleix Garcia. Barcelona admire the midfielder who has been starring for their Catalan rivals this season for his quality and versatility.

Even though he is more of an interior midfielder, the Barcelona management believes that the 26-year-old has the quality to adapt to the pivot position.

On top of that, Garcia has a release clause worth just €15 million, making him the most feasible target for Barcelona. Furthermore, the Catalans could offer some players as part of the deal as well.