Top 5 Latino prospects for FC Barcelona next season

The season has been tough one for Barcelona, despite they have been given the chance to win the league in the last second. They are getting ready to face Atletico Madrid in their race for the championship.

However, the decision to let go of Martino and bring back former fan favorite Luis Enrique as head coach next year has been made, and the planning of the new signings is underway. Coincidentally, there seems to be a big focus on Latino talent and here are top 5 prospects Zubizarreta and his staff are looking into:

1. David Luiz

The Brazilian has become the top target for the Blaugranas as Puyol’s goodbye and Pique’s repetitive injuries have made the team suffer a lot in the back this year. Martino has spent the better part of the year playing with Mascherano and Bartra as center backs, two players who don’t have the needed pedigree to lead Barça’s defense.

David Luiz, on the other hand, is seen as the perfect player to rule the back line given his experience. Aside from his defensive edge, his passing skills would make Luiz a key signing for Barcelona, as the team looks to get back to the high possession style they mastered under Guardiola.

2. Juan Guillermo Cuadrado

Here’s an interesting one. Colombian Juan Guillermo Cuadrado has been one of this season’s sensation with Fiorentina, playing as a winger, scoring 15 goals and serving 6 assists to his teammates. Barcelona has taken note of him and are very keen on signing him ? and making him play as a right back.

The idea is that Dani Alves will be leaving the team, and that the team needs a player of his same characteristics. Well, Cuadrado is thought to be going through the same transformation as Alves did while at Sevilla. The idea is that Cuadrado would a great and powerful full-back, who would be able to overlap the winger and become an extra attacker, as Barça enjoys their typical long possessions near their opponents’ box.

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3. Sergio Aguero

Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero, right, celebrates after scoring against Arsenal during their English Premier League soccer match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England, Saturday Dec. 14, 2013. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Sergio Aguero is back at the top of preferred signings list for Barcelona this year. The Argentine has been an old dream of the club, and the possibility of seeing him pairing up with Messi upfront would be unequivocally magical.

There’s even a rumour around Barcelona that Messi had requested the signing of Kun in order to remain in the team next year. While the four time Gold Ball winner has denied this point, there’s no doubt he’d love to pay with one of his friends in the soccer world, and Aguero would not oppose the move.

4. Filipe Luis

Brazilian Filipe Luis has become one of the top players in his position in the world, and only Scolari seems to have missed the memo. Juventus, Arsenal and Manchester United will battle Barça for his signing, but Zubizarreta sees him as the perfect replacement for Adriano, who will most likely be heading to Italy come next June.

Luis is a key player in Atletico Madrid’s tactical approach because of his defensive intensity and his technical prowess upfront, and Barcelona’s staff sees him as a suitable back up for Jordi Alba, as well as a perfect left-mid alternative to Cesc or Iniesta.

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5. Miranda

Barcelona’s Jordi Alba, right, fights for the ball with Atletico’s Miranda during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona in the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, April 9, 2014. (AP Photo/Paul White)

Atletico’s center back is one of the best in La Liga, and as with Filipe Luis, Scolari has passed him over on the chance to take him to Brazil.

The Verde Amarela’s loss could be Atletico Madrid’s win, as they are hoping Miranda doesn’t become a huge household name in the world soccer stage, as the chances of a big and powerful team snatching him away will only increase as his exposure does.

However, Zubizarreta and Barça’s technical staff already know the Brazilian quite well, and want to team him up with David Luiz in the back in order to revamp their defense after a disastrous year. The Cules have been said to be ready to make a 20 million euro offer for Miranda, and if that’s the case, Simeone will have no other option than to bid farewell to his best defender.

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