Which La Liga rival is interested in signing Barcelona’s Marcos Alonso and Sergi Roberto?

Barcelona are not having the best of seasons, with a subpar start to the current season. They sit fourth in La Liga after a series of bad performances recently. The team is facing the absence of crucial players thanks to some grave injuries.

The club is already struggling to bring in reinforcements due to financial problems. And the club’s squad depth is going to be further tested, with two players close to leaving, as well as a direct rival in the league.

Atletico Madrid keeps tabs on Barcelona’s Marcos Alonso and Sergi Roberto

Barcelona are preparing to let go of two senior players next summer, with Marcus Alonso and Sergi Roberto as the players. Their contracts will be ending in the summer of 2024, and this could very well be their last season at the club.

The pair have already seen very limited game time this season, and both of them are considered to be too much of a hassle to keep. As they are struggling to comply with Financial Fair Play rules, the club wants to let go of the two players to further balance their books.

Roberto could find a way to extend his stay at the club if he is willing to take another significant pay cut. Furthermore, he has much experience and is the captain of the team. He also recently saved his team from a humiliation with a brace against Almeria. But Alonso’s future may already have been decided. Xavi does not seem to rely on the player, and he has played only around 300 minutes so far.

And now a La Liga club is closely monitoring both players. And that is Atletico Madrid, a direct rival in the league. Both would arrive for free, and Alonso was also monitored in the previous transfer window. It could be close to the situation of Luis Suarez, and the Catalans may not want to repeat that mistake. While Roberto isn’t expected to go to their rivals, Alonso could as seen with the transfer of Memphis Depay.

Xavi addresses Barcelona’s strategy for replacing Gavi

Barcelona are also suffering mainly due to the absence of star midfielder Gavi, who has been crucial for the team under Xavi. The Spanish wonderkid recently tore his ACL injury and will be out the rest of the season. With the team already fourth, it is important for the Catalans to reinforce the team this January, even if they will struggle to raise funds.

Barcelona recently got some open space on their wage bill, meaning they can register a new player. This is due to Gavi’s injury, and they can sign someone with 80% of his wages. But the club are wondering whether to go for a new midfielder or try to register Vitor Roque, their new Brazilian signing.

Under fire manager Xavi has already expressed his desire to replace Gavi and informed sporting director Deco about it. He said recently, “I am in contact with the president and Deco every day. We will announce what we think is appropriate in due time. They know where I stand, I know where they stand, and we’ve reached common ground. Now we’ll see what we can do and if we can sign a new player.”

If they can sign a midfielder, the club wants to make sure the player can fill in the gap left by Gavi properly. A loan deal is also hugely possible, though no names have been connected yet.

With the transfer window opening on January 1, Barcelona must soon Decide what to do and how to strengthen the team.