Arsenal have somewhat surprisingly made Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets their number one transfer target. That is according to Catalan newspaper SPORT, who say that the midfielder tops Arsene Wenger’s list of potential reinforcements.
Many Arsenal fans have made it clear that a defensive-minded midfielder is needed to challenge for titles at the club, with the Gunners relying on Francis Coquelin for the second half of the season. A handful of reported Arsenal targets in that position have since moved to other clubs, with Morgan Schneiderlin leaving Southampton for Manchester United and Geoffrey Kondogbia joining Inter.
Busquets came through the youth system at Barcelona, joining as a 17-year old back in 2005, before making his way up to the first-team by 2008. He has gone on to make over 200 La Liga appearances for Barça, scoring six times. The 27-year old is a proven winner, with his defensive performances helping Barcelona to five La Liga titles, three Champions League trophies and a further three Copa del Rey wins.
The midfielder has also become an integral part of Spain’s national team, earning 75 caps and winning a World Cup and two European Championship titles in the process. He did, however, sign a new Barcelona contract in late February, which should keep him at the Catalan club until at least 2019.
Another bonus from Arsenal’s point of view is Busquets’ ability to play in central defence as well as in midfield, allowing him to cover for Laurent Koscielny or Per Mertesacker if they are injured. It is likely that Busquets would Arsenal a lot of money, but the report suggests that the Gunners have enough in the bank to afford the player.
