Barcelona rule out move for pivot target, Atletico Madrid primed to take advantage

Following Sergio Busquets’ departure at the end of the 2022-23 season, Barcelona must now begin their search for his replacement, which will be easier said than done.

Several targets have been identified by Mateu Alemany and Deco, with Joshua Kimmich and Martin Zubimendi having been identified as leading targets to replace the 34-year-old.

One of the other options available to Barcelona is Sofyan Amrabat. Fiorentina rejected the advances of the LaLiga champions in January, but they are open to selling this summer.

However, Gerard Romero has now reported that Barcelona will not move for Amrabat this summer, which would suggest that other targets are their priority.

It opens the door for Atletico Madrid to make a move for Amrabat, with Diego Simeone’s side now being the favourites to secure his signature.

However, a move is not top of their priority list at the moment, with other targets, including Tottenham Hotspur’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, having emerged in recent weeks.