Barcelona rule out signing of La Liga midfielder due to high price

Barcelona have decided not to pursue the signing of Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad anymore due to his high transfer cost, according to a report from AS.

Initially, Zubimendi was the top target for Barcelona’s former manager, Xavi and he was highly valued because he matched all the specific requirements the Blaugrana had for a pivot midfielder. 

At Barcelona, a midfielder needs to be able to maintain the team’s pressure in the opponent’s half, show excellent tactical intelligence, and have a great sense of positioning to reduce the opponents’ chances of counter-attacks. 

Additionally, he must be skilled at playing the ball from the back, aiding the central midfielders in moving the ball out of their own half.

There are not many players in the market who fit this description perfectly, and those who do are very expensive. Given Barcelona’s current financial challenges, affording such players is nearly impossible.

Zubimendi had a big fan in Xavi

Xavi had high hopes of signing Zubimendi from Real Sociedad last summer. 

However, reality hit hard when he realized that the club couldn’t afford the €50 million required for Zubimendi’s transfer. Moreover, the player himself was not keen on leaving his current club.

Barcelona are no longer interested in Martin Zubimendi. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

This summer, Barcelona has completely ruled out the possibility of signing Zubimendi because of his high price tag and his personal preference to stay at Real Sociedad. 

As a result, the club is now looking at other potential players who might be more affordable and available.

Barcelona have targets in sight

Right now, the Blaugrana are considering players like Joshua Kimmich from Bayern Munich, Amadou Onana from Everton, and Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United. 

Interestingly, the club’s situation has changed recently, making it possible that the Premier League players could now be within their reach.

In summary, while Zubimendi was once seen as the perfect fit for Barcelona, the financial constraints and the player’s own reluctance have led the club to explore other options. 

The financial difficulties faced by Barcelona have made it clear that they need to look for more cost-effective solutions without compromising on the quality and abilities required for their style of play. 

This strategic shift could potentially bring in new talent from the Premier League, which was previously out of their financial reach.