Busquets chooses Man City star as his Barcelona replacement

Tom Hancock

• Updated: 31 May 2023 08:46 BST
• 3 min read

Sergio Busquets has named Man City star Rodri as his preferred choice to succeed him at Barcelona.

The Barca captain – the final member of Pep Guardiola’s legendary side still playing for the club – is leaving at the end of the season, marking the end of an era for the LaLiga champions.

And – perhaps unsurprisingly for a man who’s spent the best part of two decades with the Blaugrana – Busquets, 34, is thinking about how the midfield might shape up once he’s moved on.

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Pondering the future for Xavi’s team, Busquets – a 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 winner with Spain – told Catalan radio station RAC1: “My [favourite] option would be Rodri as [a] new pivot for Barca, but I’m told it’s very difficult [to complete a transfer].”

Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich and Real Sociedad sensation Martin Zubimendi have been touted as potential targets for Barcelona – while there may already be a possible successor within their ranks in Nico Gonzalez, who is currently on loan at Valencia. Busquets continued:

“Kimmich or Zubimendi? I feel [Zubimendi] suits our style better – then there’s an internal option with Nico.”

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Rodri to Barca a non-starter?

Busquets is probably right that engineering a deal for Rodri would be tricky: the Portuguese international has been utterly integral to Man City’s recent success – which could yet include a treble this term.

Rodri – who turns 27 next month – only signed a new contract with City last summer, extending his stay at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2027.

He also has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €75.3m – the kind of fee which might prove prohibitive to Barca as they continue to combat the financial difficulties which have hamstrung them for the last couple of years.