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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Why Chelsea and Manchester City want Pau Cubarsi<\/h3>\n
Embed from Getty Images<\/p>\n
Each of the three clubs has a different reason for pursuing the Barcelona defender.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s profile would fill perfectly.<\/p>\n
Manchester City\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Pau Cubarsi is just another depth option for Mikel Arteta?<\/h3>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Behind them, Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, Jurrien Timber, Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori provide genuine cover.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Barcelona\u2019s Pau Cubarsi summer transfer would be a genuine shock<\/h3>\n
Embed from Getty Images<\/p>\n
The biggest obstacle to any of these moves to materialise is Barcelona themselves.<\/p>\n
Cubarsi is integral to the first team at Camp Nou and is exactly the kind of player the club built their recent model around.<\/p>\n
Letting him leave this summer would be a surprising decision, particularly given his recent development has been so smooth.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
But right now, a summer exit for Cubarsi feels like a long shot.<\/p>\n
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