Barça Can Be at Ease Regarding the Defensive Midfielder Position for the Coming Years. Thanks to La Masia's talent, the club has found in Marc Casadó and Marc Bernal two players with the ideal profile to fill that role in the blaugrana midfield. Although Marc Bernal is injured, both have already demonstrated a great ability to distribute the ball, recover possessions, and adapt to Barça's demanding style.
Casadó is a piece used by Flick and has shown a great level when he has had minutes, while Bernal, with an impressive projection, is destined to be a great pillar. The club's confidence in both players allows Barça not to obsess over million-dollar signings to strengthen this position, betting on the talent developed in the youth academy.
Frenkie de Jong Could Stay
Besides La Masia's talent, Barça has Frenkie de Jong. The Dutchman is a fixture in Hansi Flick's starting eleven and feels comfortable with the German coach's playing style. His ability to move the ball, break lines, and provide balance in the midfield has made him a key piece of the team ahead of Marc Casadó.
Although his contract ends in 2026, De Jong could end up renewing and extending his stay at Barça. In recent years, there has been speculation about his departure due to the club's economic situation, but his desire seems to have changed. If both parties reach an agreement, Barça's midfield would have guaranteed stability and quality for several more seasons.
Barça Follows Dário Essugo
Despite having these options in the squad, Barça's sports management continues to explore the market for opportunities. One of the names the club follows the most is Dario Essugo. The young midfielder, who belongs to Sporting de Portugal, is on loan at Las Palmas and has shown very promising performance in La Liga.
Essugo is a midfielder with great physical capacity, good positioning, and a display reminiscent of Touré Yaya. For some time, the club has closely followed his evolution and considers him a possible reinforcement for the future. At just 19 years old, the Portuguese is seen as a player with much room for growth and the potential to become an elite pivot in the future.
Chelsea Takes the Lead
However, according to the 'Madrid-Barcelona' portal, Chelsea has taken the lead in the race to sign Essugo. The English club is willing to finalize his transfer this summer for about 20M euros, an amount that Barça can hardly match at this time.
Chelsea, with its great economic power, has accelerated negotiations and wants to secure his signing before other teams enter the bidding. For Barça, this represents a significant obstacle, as if they really want to count on Essugo in the future, they will have to act quickly.