Barcelona president Joan Laporta has offered an update on captain Sergio Busquets’s future at the club amid speculation the midfielder could leave in the January transfer window.
Busquets is out of contract at the end of the season and able to leave as a free agent. However, the midfielder has even considering leaving Barcelona in January to pursue a move to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, as reported by Diario Sport.
Laporta has told Barca TV that he has spoken to Barcelona coach Xavi who has made it clear the captain remains a key part of his plans for the rest of the 2022-23 campaign, as reported by ESPN.
“We want him to stay. Xavi told me he wants him until the end of the season; he is counting on him,” he said. “We will see what Busquets decides, either now or in the summer, on his future. It’s been commented that he has offers from MLS now, but I hope he stays until the end of the season. Whatever decision he takes will be a well-considered one.”
The Barcelona captain turned 34 in July and is clearly heading towards the end of his illustrious career. He has already confirmed his retirement from international duty after Spain’s exit from the 2022 World Cup.
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Busquets Still Key For Xavi
Busquets has played an important role for Barcelona in the first half of the season, starting 11 of the team’s 14 La Liga matches. Only Pedri, who has started 12 times, has been used more often than the skipper in midfield.
Xavi has already asked Barcelona to extend Busquets’s contract for one more season, as reported by Diario Sport. The coach has been delighted with his “performance and attitude” and believes he still has the quality needed to play at the highest level.
However, Busquets will have to lower his salary if he is to continue at Barcelona. The club’s financial difficulties, coupled with La Liga’s fair play rules, mean he “would be forced” to reduce his salary demands.
What Has Busquets Said About His Future?
Busquets is yet to make a definitive statement on his future but has admited he wants the situation resolved early in 2023. The midfielder spoke before the World Cup about the decisions he needs to make, as reported by 90min.
“It is my last year, I know that many things have been said, but I have always said the same thing. I haven’t signed anything for one side or the other,” he told El Larguero. “We’ll see how it goes, but by February or so I’d like to have it clear and make up my mind.”
Barcelona are expected to bring in a replacement for Busquets if he does depart, and the Catalans have even reportedly “practically closed” a deal for Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves.
However, the Catalans could also look to Frenkie de Jong to succeed the captain. Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal said before the World Cup that he feels the Dutchman plays his best football in Busquets’s position.
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‘Xavi Told Me He Wants Him’ – Laporta Offers Key Barcelona Update