Daniel Agger or David Luiz: Who Is the Better Fit for Barcelona?

New Barcelona manager Gerardo Martino has been linked with a move for Daniel Agger after Chelsea placed a £40 million price tag on David Luiz, according to John Cross of The Mirror.

With Carles Puyol coming to the end of his career at the age of 35, Barca are looking for a new partner for Gerard Pique at the back. 

Luiz has been linked with the La Liga champions throughout the summer after his successful season at Stamford Bridge under interim manager Rafael Benitez last season, as the player himself admitted in May according to The Metro.

The Brazil international continued his run of form when he also impressed during the Confederations Cup this summer.

Luiz, 26, joined Chelsea in January 2011 in a reported £21.3 million deal from Benfica, but he struggled initially to make a mark on the first team.

Even last season, BBC Match of the Day analyst Alan Hansen used his column in the Daily Telegraph to declare Luiz was guilty of "farcical defending and ridiculous appetite for barging into Robin van Persie" after a Premier League game against Manchester United in October.

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The concept of defending properly is the same as it has always been and it is nothing to do with systems – it is all about positioning.

If you get four defenders in the right position, it can be incredibly difficult for the opposing team to get through, but if the defenders are all over the place, then it becomes a gravy train for the opposition, with chances coming along one after the other.

And when you have a player such as Luiz in the back four, with nobody knowing what or where he is going to be next, it creates uncertainty.

It is almost two years since he arrived at Chelsea, but he has rarely gone more than four or five games without making a mistake.

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When Roberto Di Matteo was replaced by Benitez in November 2012, central defence was a priority for the Spaniard, and he switched Luiz to a role in front of the back four.

Benitez's attention to detail and need for positional discipline did not go unrewarded with Luiz, and the former Liverpool manager also appeared to remove any recklessness from the Brazilian's tackling.

The movement between the Chelsea defence and attack had previously appeared to be incohesive under Di Matteo, but the switch of Luiz to midfield by Benitez went some way to resolving that issue.

Luiz's marauding style from defensive midfield and his notable passing ability changed that area within the team.

The former Benfica man's improvement in form last season was underlined by statistics compiled by WhoScored.com (via talkSPORT), with Chelsea winning 65.5 percent of the 29 games Luiz started but losing 33.3 percent of the nine he did not begin.

Chelsea conceded just 0.79 goals per game in the 29 games in which the Brazilian started, while allowing an average of 1.78 goals without the the former Benfica man in the starting lineup.

Luiz rediscovered his form after a move into midfield, and it is little wonder that Chelsea and Jose Mourinho are unwilling to allow him to leave the club.

Agger, though, remains a more realistic proposition as a consistent centre-half with an eye for attack.

The Denmark international has ironed out errors at the back since moving to Anfield for around £5.8 million from Brondby in January 2006, as BBC Sport reported.

At 28, Agger is two years older than Luiz but his extensive Premier League experience would, arguably, make him a better proposition for Barcelona and Martino.

Like Luiz, however, Barcelona would face a struggle to wrest the defender from the current Liverpool setup.

After the experienced Jamie Carragher retired from the game at the end of last season, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will be desperate to keep the services of Agger at the club.

Agger's tackling and distribution from the back have been the bedrock of his game during the last eight years at the club.

The Dane is also a left-footed player, which makes him a further useful addition to a Barcelona squad where defensive options are dominated by the right-sided play of Puyol, Pique and Javier Mascherano.

However, the player has never hidden his love for Liverpool and signed a contract extension at Anfield in October, as the official club website reported.

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This is where I want to be and I'm happy the club want me. I am really happy right now. I've never wanted to go anywhere else. I feel I am a part of this club, and I want to be a part of this club in the future.

The support from the fans has been unbelievable. The game when they were singing all the songs about me, it was difficult to focus on the game! It was such a good experience for me and I'd never experienced anything like it before.

That is why I am so happy here. That for me is Liverpool Football Club. I feel I belong here and as long as the manager and the owners want me, I'll be here.

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The Dane came close to matching Pique's 91 percent pass completion rate last season, making 89 percent compared to Luiz's 82 percent, in stats compiled by Squawka.com. But it is important to note that Agger played seven more matches than Pique during the 2012-13 campaign.

However, Luiz won 84 percent of his tackles with 72 interceptions throughout the season, while Agger claimed 72 percent of his challenges, although that was from less attempts at 63 interceptions in five more appearances.

In the air, Agger leads Luiz by winning 61 percent of 188 aerial duels compared to the 57 percent of 104 recorded by Luiz.

These statistics stack up in favour of Agger suiting the Barcelona style better than Luiz, but the Chelsea player's versatility would fit in well at the Camp Nou.

It is a close call between the two players. Luiz would represent a big statement for Martino as a major name and has the versatility to fit into the Barcelona style.

But for consistency, experience and greater value for money, Agger is the better option as Barcelona attempt to reclaim the Champions League trophy and defend their Spanish title.