Barcelona have been the big story in world football this season, blasting opponent after opponent with such ruthless efficiency in a manner that we have not seen for a long time.
Hansi Flick has turned his squad into an unstoppable machine, recently tormenting European heavyweights Bayern Munich and Real Madrid to the tune of a combined 8-1 scoreline.
Although much of the focus around Barcelona centers on the attacking triumvirate of Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, and Raphinha that is undoubtedly the world’s best, there are so many other gems worth praising.
Flick has done an exceptional job of believing in his young players, and he has been richly rewarded in immediate solutions who will only improve over the course of the next decade.
Young defensive midfielder Marc Casado has been the biggest bright spot of those, stepping up in the pivot role that Barcelona were so desperately looking to address.
Casado has lapped the competition. At 21 and in his debut season, Casado already has five assists in all competitions and is thoroughly outplaying more touted – and expensive – pivot options Barca could have signed in the transfer market like Joshua Kimmich and Martin Zubimendi.
But now, other elite teams in Europe are trying to see if they can pry Casado from Barcelona, as Caught Offside’s Mark Brus reports that Premier League rivals Liverpool and Manchester United are both interested in signing the La Masia gem.
Liverpool have been searching for an elite defensive midfielder since the abrupt decline of Thiago Alcantara, whose recurring injuries prevented the legendary Bayern Munich midfielder from ever finding his best form consistently at Anfield.
Ryan Gravenberch has emerged as a key piece and one of the top midfielders in Europe this season, but Liverpool still want one more player. They’ve been been linked to possible Barcelona targets Zubimendi and Kimmich.
Meanwhile, Manchester United splashed the cash on a promising young midfielder in PSG’s Manuel Ugarte, and they already have one of the world’s best young defensive midfielders in Kobbie Mainoo.
But like Liverpool, Manchester United still dream of one more top young player in the mix. The problem is Casado is a dream that is unreachable, because Barcelona aren’t going to sell such a valuable and unique young, homegrown player.
They are under no pressure to either, and even if Casado were to run down his contract, he still almost certainly wouldn’t leave the Camp Nou because clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona never lose top players who are loved at those clubs.
Barcelona and Real Madrid remain the pinnacle of world football, especially to the homegrown stars or those with an attachment to the club. Liverpool and Manchester United are powerful in their own right, but the pull of the Premier League cannot detach the bond Casado has with Barca. Not a chance.
