Barcelona are chasing a new No. 6 in the summer 2024 transfer window after learning the hard way that signing a bargain-bin option like Oriol Romeu simply isn’t an adequate way to replace a club legend like Sergio Busquets.
The Blaugrana have plodded through the 2023/24 LaLiga season without much of a prayer at the league title, and the entire midfield has collapsed due to injuries and the lack of a stabilizing anchoring presence anywhere near the level of Busquets.
According to a report from Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich and Everton standout Amadou Onana as the two favorites to fulfill the No. 6 position in 2024/25 and beyond.
Kimmich and Onana are two fine players and among the elite options in their leagues in midfield – at any midfield position. The problem is that Barcelona’s No. 6 job isn’t just any midfield position.
It requires a specific skill set and aptitude. Barcelona want a 6 who can read the game at an elite level defensively, stabilize play by picking out the right passing options, control the match off the ball, make difficult tackles in counterattacking situations, and never lose possession in precarious areas near the team’s own box.
Kimmich is a world-class player and one of the best deep creators in the game. He can change the outcome of matches with a killer strike from beyond the box, and he’s a great ball-winner, too.
Onana is another top-class ball-winner and an even better progressor than Kimmich. He’s one of the best 8’s in the Premier League and a real defensive presence, averaging 2.2 tackles per game.
The thing is, he’s an 8. Not a 6. Onana is at his best when he can run free, jetting up and down the pitch and bossing the game. Onana and Kimmich are great players who can excel in defensive midfield roles…with the right partners next to them.
Funnily enough, Kimmich and Onana could be a great base together with someone like Pedri ahead of them in the attacking midfield. But working alone as an anchoring point in the Barcelona system as a 6?
Let’s just say, Barcelona are better off breaking the bank for Martin Zubimendi. To that point, even if the solution were to somehow sign both Onana and Kimmich, Barca don’t have the money for that; Zubimendi alone would still be cheaper.
The managing editor of The Trivela Effect, Kevin has 15 years of experience in digital media. He has been an editor for NFL Spin Zone, Daily DDT for pro wrestling, Autzen Zoo covering the Oregon Ducks, Musket Fire covering the New England Patriots, The Real Champs covering Real Madrid, Old Juve covering Juventus, Rush The Kop covering Liverpool, and Release The Knappen covering Schalke. His work has been featured in ESPN, Bleacher Report, Yahoo! Sports, NBC Sports, and other outlets. You can contact him at the site’s official Twitter handle @TrivelaEffect or via the site’s official email thetrivelaeffect@gmail.com.