Barcelona’s defensive midfield lynchpin, Sergio Busquets, is a highly coveted footballer right now, as both Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola have made him their top transfer target for their new clubs next season, according to reports in the Spanish press; with Pep Guardiola confirmed at Manchester City, while Mourinho is rumoured to be taking over at Manchester United.
According to a report in Spanish news outlet Diario AS, Jose Mourinho has made Busquets his no.1 target were he to take over at Manchester United. The report notes that since Manchester United have struggled with the fitness of their current midfielders, namely Michael Carrick, Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mourinho has identified this as the Red Devils most prominent problem area.
Sergio Busquets has a contract until 2019, which would ordinarily ward off suitors, but the Barcelona midfielder has demanded greater recognition in monetary terms, according to the report, but Barcelona are loathe to offer him a better deal, especially since the club are already close to their salary cap and are keen on retaining Neymar.
This has left the door open for Busquets to consider a move to another club, with Mourinho willing to put aside past rivalries as manager of Real Madrid, and lure the defensive midfielder to Old Trafford with the promise of a big pay packet, and a big fee, rumoured to be €100 million, to tempt Barcelona.
Guardiola could thwart Mourinho’s attempt to sign Busquets
Pep Guardiola is confirmed to take over from Manuel Pellegrini’s Manchester City at the start of next season, with the Spaniard currently at Bayern Munich. The former Barcelona manager is set to overhaul the squad and considers Busquets pivotal to his style of play.
Earlier in the season, Busquets revealed that only Guardiola could tempt himaway from the Nou Camp, saying “I have always said there are just two persons who could make me change my decision to stay at Barcelona. One of those two persons is my wife. And she is happy here right now, so I don't think there will be any issues on a personal level.”
“On a sporting level, that other person is Guardiola. It's clear that I owe Pep a lot and I would be honoured to work with him again.”
Given Manchester City's financial werewithal, Guardiola could offer a financial and sporting package that could trump whatever Mourinho is able to offer Busquets. Whoever does win, it seems as if the Premier League will enjoy the wonderful sight of Busquets lining up for either the red or blue side of Manchester next season.
