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Midfielders
Holding Midfield - Sergio Busquets
There has unarguably been no better defensive midfielder than Sergio Busquets in the last decade, and while others in his trade deploy physicality and aggression to win back possession, Busquets goes about his job in a less dramatic but in a more effective way.
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The 32-year-old is the very definition of cool, calm and collected and indeed it is easy to downplay his contributions to the Barcelona cause, but his importance is highlighted by how the team struggles in his absence.
He has shown a propensity for uncharacteristic errors in recent years which is only natural given his age and contributions over the years, but Busquets remains a very fine defensive midfielder and is still as important to Barcelona as he was 11 years ago when he made his debut.
Central Midfield - Frenkie de Jong
Frenkie de Jong became the latest in a long line of players to cross over from Ajax to Barcelona, and he would be hoping to emulate in the footsteps of some of his illustrious predecessors.
The 22-year-old had played a starring role for Ajax in their dream campaign last season, making 52 appearances in all competitions.
Supremely gifted with the ball at his feet and adept at possession play, the Dutch international would be an instant fit into the Barcelona midfield and has shown signs of his brilliance during preseason, while his versatility can see him being deployed in multiple roles through the middle.
Central Midfield - Arthur Melo
It is well known that Valverde is a pragmatic coach, which is why he has favoured Ivan Rakitic as the Croatian offers a work rate that is far higher than those posted by his colleagues in midfield.
However, there are indications that both him and another midfield powerhouse Arturo Vidal could be on their way out of the club, and this could pave the way for Arthur Melo to continue his upward trajectory at the Nou Camp.
The Brazilian international wowed everyone with his displays from the middle last season, drawing comparisons to Xavi Hernandez, and while he might not offer the same defensive solidity that Rakitic or Vidal offers, with him pulling the strings in the middle alongside Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong, Barcelona are sure to control proceedings.
