Ignore Pogba! Tolisso is the free agent Barca should be chasing

Robin Bairner

• 15 Oct 2021 21:49 BST
• 5 min read

Barcelona’s financial problems are well document, with the issues of the Camp Nou side likely to restrict them to signing free agents in the immediate future.

It means that Barca will have a severely restricted market in terms of what players they can select from in the couple of years ahead.

Rather than be seduced by big names, though, they have to sign smart – not something that Barca have been associated with in recent years, albeit under the guidance of a different board.

And one of those big names they are being linked with is Paul Pogba, who will reportedly command a salary in the region of €450,000 per week – one of the biggest in the world.

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Even if Barcelona can perform some accountancy acrobatics to make such a deal possible, they would be well advised to look elsewhere.

Milan’s Franck Kessie is an option but a smarter move would be Bayern Munich’s Corentin Tolisso, whose deal is also up in 2022.

Like Pogba, Tolisso was a member of France’s World Cup-winning side, but the 27-year-old commands little of the same spotlight.

Nevertheless, for a side in Barcelona’s position, he could be a highly effective player.

Tolisso a smart option

One of his greatest attributes is his versatility. He is a Swiss Army knife of a midfielder, able to take up a variety of different positions and play them to a good standard. His strong all-around game allows him to be effective at both ends of the field, while even performed as a right-back in his Lyon days.

For a squad operating on a tight budget, such an attribute can be priceless. It means that Barca could seek to cut corners with personnel elsewhere.

This is in sharp contrast to Pogba, who has shown throughout his career that he can only operate to his optimum level if the system around him is put in place correctly. Barcelona is a squad that need liberated – not tied down.

Furthermore, signing Tolisso over a star name like Pogba would save Barcelona a tremendous amount in wages.

Indeed, they could strengthen their squad with another two or three high-quality replacements by going down this route.

Tolisso may not possess the glamorous name that Pogba does, but his versatility, attitude and quality make him a player that Barcelona should be keeping a close eye on.