Why Diego Godin Is the One Atletico Madrid Player Barcelona Would Love to Sign

If there is an Atletico Madrid player that Barcelona would love to add to their star-studded squad, he would have to come from a position where the Catalans continue to struggle. Central defence.

Since the untimely but expected departure of Carles Puyol, Barca have continued to come unstuck from set pieces and crosses into the box, despite having a plethora of supposed experts in the field in the back line.

Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

Last summer, for the first time in five years, Barca did at least recruit some tall and robust imports to sit alongside Gerard Pique. However, Jeremy Mathieu has gone off of the boil and Thomas Vermaelen hasn't even made it across the white line in competitive action due to injury.

It's very noticeable how Barca sorely miss the skill set of a player like Puyol.

A warrior in the truest sense, he wouldn't think twice about laying his body on the line if necessary. It's perhaps just that style of play that caused him to suffer so many injuries, especially in the latter stages of his career.

Atleti's very own captain fantastic, Diego Godin, has been exemplary for club and country over the last couple of years. He has to be the one player that the Blaugrana would sign given half a chance.

As central defenders go, he has absolutely everything in his locker.

Sky Sports and B/R columnist Guillem Balague agreed in his season review for Sky, via Dan Coombs of Here is The City: "Godin inspired Atletico to only concede 26 goals last season and they won the league of course. Don’t forget the six goals conceded last season in the Champions League en-route. He’s aggressive, brave, and for me at the moment the best centre-back in the world."

Who can forget his goal at Camp Nou to deny Barca the league title on the last day of last season?

Who can forget the goal that looked like winning Atleti the Champions League for the first time in their history until Sergio Ramos' dramatic late intervention?

It's not just in Madrid where his excellence has been on show, either.

In Brazil last summer with Uruguay, his towering header knocked one of the pre-tournament favourites, Italy, out of the World Cup.

He told FIFA.com: "Luckily I’ve been able to score some big goals this year, but I always say that you do your best for the team and that team supports you in what you do. The workrate at both Atletico and here is amazing."

It shouldn't be overlooked that his 33 passes in the same game were all completed successfully, either.

When we look at the very best central defenders in world football, there aren't too many that are solid as a rock on a weekly basis and of genuine class.

It's why the biggest clubs are always in the hunt for the same players in that position. It's why, invariably, you have to pay through the nose.

Frankly, if David Luiz is worth €50 million to Paris Saint-Germain, what price is Godin? The defender is head and shoulders above the ex-Chelsea man.

At 28 years of age, Godin also has time on his side and is arguably in his prime as a footballer.

On Sunday, Barcelona will once again see the calm, reassuring but unbelievably competitive presence that Godin brings to his side.

With two windows of transfer kitty to spend, it might well convince the money men in Catalonia to break the bank this time next year.