19 years old La Masia academy graduate Pau Cubarsi has already made himself a first-team regular at Barcelona, and is now attracting serious attention from some of the biggest clubs in European football.
According to a report from Caught Offside, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City are all monitoring the Spanish centre-back Pau Cubarsi ahead of the summer transfer window, with each of the three Premier League giants looking to add defensive reinforcements.
Bayern Munich are also said to be keen. For a teenager who only broke into the Barcelona side recently, the level of interest is extraordinary.
Cubarsi has accumulated over 3,000 minutes of game time across 39 appearances for Barcelona this season, establishing himself as a central figure in their defensive setup.
Why Chelsea and Manchester City want Pau Cubarsi
Each of the three clubs has a different reason for pursuing the Barcelona defender.
For Chelsea, the interest is the easiest to understand. The Blues have been tracking Cubarsi for some time, and the need for a long-term central defensive partner for Levi Colwill is genuine. Axel Disasi is expected to leave Stamford Bridge in the summer, which would create a clear vacancy at the back that a player of Cubarsi’s profile would fill perfectly.
Manchester City’s situation is equally pressing. John Stones has entered the final six months of his contract, and Nathan Ake is also likely to depart the Etihad this summer.
Pep Guardiola could find himself needing to rebuild a significant portion of his defensive unit, and Cubarsi would represent a long-term solution rather than a short-term fix. The logic is clear even if the fee involved would be substantial.
Pau Cubarsi is just another depth option for Mikel Arteta?
Mikel Arteta already has William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes at the heart of defence. They are widely regarded as one of the best centre-back partnerships in world football right now.
Behind them, Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, Jurrien Timber, Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori provide genuine cover.
The case for adding Cubarsi to that group is difficult to make on paper, though it is possible Arteta is planning further ahead than the next season alone.
Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsi summer transfer would be a genuine shock
The biggest obstacle to any of these moves to materialise is Barcelona themselves.
Cubarsi is integral to the first team at Camp Nou and is exactly the kind of player the club built their recent model around.
Letting him leave this summer would be a surprising decision, particularly given his recent development has been so smooth.
Financial pressures have forced Barcelona into difficult decisions before, and a sizeable offer from a Premier League club or Bayern Munich could test their resolve.
But right now, a summer exit for Cubarsi feels like a long shot.
