Spanish pivot denies any contact with former Barcelona coach | OneFootball

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In the upcoming summer transfer window, the top priority of FC Barcelona would be the addition of a competent midfield pivot. This area was one of the clearest weaknesses in the Catalan team last season, as Oriol Romeu was unable to play at the level expected from him after he joined the club following Sergio Busquets’ departure last summer.

For this purpose, several names have been linked with the club, with the likes of Joshua Kimmich, Guido Rodriguez, and Mikel Merino all being candidates to join Barcelona. Another name that has been linked strongly with the Catalan club for more than a year is Martin Zubimendi.

The Real Sociedad midfielder was a favorite candidate of former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez, who wanted him in his team during the last summer transfer window. However, Real Sociedad’s insistence on not selling him for less than his €60 million release clause made him an impossible target for the Blaugranes.

With Xavi’s departure, Zubimendi has fallen down in the priority order for the Catalan club, especially as his release clause remains unattainable for FC Barcelona.

But before his departure, Xavi had publicly declared his admiration for the Real Sociedad midfielder on several occasions. However, as SPORT has reported, Zubimendi appeared in an interview recently, in which he disclosed that the legendary midfielder had never contacted him.

Xavi had talked to other players with the aim of convincing them to join his team, so it is a bit surprising to know that he did not talk with a player whom he wanted so keenly in his squad.

One reason for this could have been the player’s own reluctance to leave La Reale, as he also confessed his love for the club in this same interview, in the following words: