Who Will Barcelona Sign in January to Replace Pique

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Barcelona stalwart, Gerard Pique, sustained an injury during the game against Atletico Madrid which will keep him out for the rest of the season.

Even before Pique’s injury, Barcelona were being linked with moves for central defenders as new manager Ronald Koeman believes it is an area of the team that lacks depth and quality. Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger, Arsenal Shkodran Mustafi and Manchester City’s Eric Garcia have all been linked with a move to the Catalonians in the January transfer window.

But which of these players fits the bill at Barcelona the most? Are any of them available right now? and would Koeman consider brining in more than one of them? We’re going to take a look at each of the Dutchman’s targets and give a rating out of 5 as to the chances of a move to Barcelona being completed in the January transfer window.

Antonia Rudiger

27-year old Antonio Rudiger has fallen out of favour at Stamford Bridge this season, featuring just once in the Premier League for Frank Lampard’s side. Moves away from Chelsea were touted in the summer but Rudiger stayed to fight for his place, but now it is believed that the German international wants to leave the club.

Rudiger plays predominantly as a centre-back but has been deployed as a right-back and is considered versatile. At 1.90m tall, the Berlin born defender is good in the air and has a physical presence about him, he is also nimble and has decent pace which is why he can operate at full-back.

Rudiger has already played in three different countries with Stuttgart, Roma and Chelsea, and adapts well to new environments. However, the 27-year old has only made over 100 appearances for one of those clubs, Chelsea, and might only be a short-term option for Barcelona.

January Transfer Rating: 4/5

Shkodran Mustafi

The next German international to be linked with a move to the Catalonians is Arsenal’s Shkodran Mustafi. At 28-years old, Mustafi is in his prime yet games at the Gunners have depleted over the last couple of seasons.

So far in 2020/21, Mustafi has featured in two league games for Arsenal and only played in 15 Premier League matches last season, despite being a regular in the three campaigns prior. Having played at the Emirates for an extended period of time, Mustafi is comfortable with the ball at his feet and being 1.84m tall, doesn’t rely on simply heading the ball away.

Like Rudiger, Mustafi has played in three different countries as a professional footballer, one of which is Spain. The German international impressed during his 2-years at Valencia, netting 6-goals in 64 La Liga games before making the move to Arsenal.

Mustafi might well be a short-term signing for Barcelona, but his time at Arsenal and learning to play a similar kind of football to the Catalonians, makes the German a suitable candidate for a January transfer.

January Transfer Rating: 5/5

Eric Garcia

Eric Garcia is just 19-years old but already has 4-caps for the Spanish international side and most importantly, he was trained at Barcelona. Man City signed the talented young defender before he had even played a first-team game for Barcelona.

Garcia made 13 appearances in the Premier League last season but has so far only been involved in 3 in the current campaign. Garcia rejected a contract extension with the Citizens in August but Manchester City are reluctant to let the young Spaniard leave.

It is well known that Koeman rates Garcia highly and sees him as his first-choice option at centre-back. His age means he is a long-term replacement for the ageing Pique, whom he could still learn from if he forces a transfer back to Barcelona. This deal feels more likely to go through in the summer unless City can find a suitable replacement of their own during the winter window.

January Transfer Rating: 3/5