Barcelona are reportedly considering a move for Girona midfielder Oriol Romeu, and could even offer a player as part of the deal.
The 31-year-old was a graduate of the La Masia academy, and made a small number of first-team appearances before moving to Chelsea in 2011.
Romeu went on to have a successful Premier League career with Southampton, and has impressed at Girona since returning to Spain last year.
Barcelona are in the market for a defensive midfielder to replace Sergio Busquets, but following the arrival of Ilkay Gundogan, players may need to be moved on to create room for new arrivals.
A report from Adrian Sanchez has suggested that the Blaugrana are eyeing up a return to the club for Romeu, given his defensive qualities and experience, but may offer a player to avoid paying his €10m release clause in full.
Could Romeu be the ideal stop-gap?
Replacing the quality and leadership of Busquets is a near-impossible task, and the financial issues at the club add an extra element of difficulty for Barcelona in this regard.
Gundogan will add a lot of quality, particularly going forward, and having captained Manchester City to a treble, he will help fill the void left by the Spaniard.
Romeu could be a good stop-gap for Barcelona for the next season or two. He will arrive as a proven star in La Liga, and he already knows the club and city well.
His defensive ability could provide the perfect protection to allow Gundogan and Pedri to push further forward, and he may not come at a high cost, particularly if a player is sent to Girona in exchange.
It remains to be seen which players could be offered in exchange for Romeu, but Barcelona could either get rid of some of their deadwood, or send a young talent out on loan as part of the deal.
Although he may not be a long-term option, or a big-name superstar, he can help bring stability to Xavi’s side as they face their first season without Busquets in the middle of the park.
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