FC Barcelona has recently made a surprising signing that has caught the attention of fans and pundits alike. Head coach Xavi Hernandez found himself in a challenging position when his captain Sergio Busquets announced his departure from the club at the end of a successful La Liga title-winning season. With limited financial resources, Barcelona was unable to pursue their desired targets such as Joshua Kimmich and Martin Zubimendi, leading them to bring back academy graduate Oriol Romeu.
Romeu, who returned to Barcelona for a fee of under $4 million from Girona, initially seemed like a promising addition to the squad. However, his performances fell short of expectations, and he struggled with knee issues, prompting Xavi to experiment with different midfield combinations involving players like Frenkie de Jong and Ilkay Gundogan.
Fortunately, a solution presented itself in the form of Andreas Christensen, who had excelled in his first season at Barcelona after joining from Chelsea on a free transfer. With Pau Cubarsi's emergence in central defense alongside Ronald Araujo, Christensen was moved to a pivot role, where he has thrived.
Christensen's statistics speak for themselves, with an impressive 95.1% pass accuracy, 69 duels won, 82 ball recoveries, and two assists in 22 appearances this season. His versatility and impact on the team have been crucial, especially as Barcelona prepares to face Paris Saint-Germain in the upcoming Champions League quarterfinals.
