Barcelona Transfer News: Sergio Busquets Deal Eyed, Fresh Miralem Pjanic Rumours

Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets is set to receive a major bonus in the form of an improved contract, a reward for years of consistently excellent performances for the Blaugrana. The new deal will likely include a significant buyout clause, which would all but rule out a transfer in the near future.

According to Marca's Enrique Ortego, the bonus could be as big as €1 million and was agreed on when the Spain international signed a new deal back in February:

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In February 2015, Sergio Busquets, or Sergio as his kit reads, extended his Barcelona contract until 30th June 2019 with an option for a further year and improved terms. During the key conversations, Josep Maria Bartomeu made a clear promise that it would be feasible to increase the player's salary based on performance at a certain time.

[…] All it took was a phone call by the player's agent Josep María Orobitg to the club president in order to remind him of previous conversations and the verbal pact that was in place.

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There's no denying the 27-year-old is certainly worthy of a major bonus. Busquets has been among the world's top holding midfielders since making his senior debut in 2008, and he's been a vital part of the team that has won five La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies in that span.

As reported by Football Espana, manager Luis Enrique doesn't understand why Busquets isn't more frequently rewarded with individual awards, saying: “It’s surprising because when you have a chance to coach him, you see how great he really is and realise it’s a great injustice.”

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Busquets has appeared in all 13 of Barcelona's La Liga fixtures in 2015-16, anchoring a side that has cruised past the competition for much of the season and recently crushed rivals Real Madrid 4-0 in the Clasico, per Squawka.

While his play is often overshadowed by the attacking brilliance of team-mates Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, his superb defensive works and abilities as a playmaker allow those players to focus solely on attacking.

ESPN's Dermot Corrigan ranks him among the Catalans' most important players:

The improved deal likely changes little regarding Busquets' future, as the Blaugrana would never entertain the idea of selling him unless the player specifically asked for a transfer. Barcelona have a fantastic young replacement waiting in the wings in the form of Sergi Samper, but he may be forced to wait for a long time.

Real Madrid to Rival Barca for Miralem Pjanic

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More from Marca, where Jose Felix Diaz claims Real Madrid are eager to change things up in midfield and are reportedly eyeing Barcelona transfer target Miralem Pjanic of AS Roma.

He even claims Los Blancos have already made contact with Pjanic's agent and are requesting some kind of guarantee where the Bosnia international would give the club the chance to match any offers other teams make for his services.

Roma have absolutely no intention to sell, however, per ESPN FC's David Amoyal:

The 25-year-old is enjoying a superb start to the season for the Giallorossi and has already scored six goals and added five assists in 11 Serie A starts, per WhoScored.com. Those are exceptional numbers for a traditional central midfielder and indicative of just how big his impact is on the team.

It's no wonder his name is starting to pop up more and more in transfer rumours, but Madrid would be an odd destination. With the likes of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Mateo Kovacic, Los Blancos already field a number of players who prefer to play in a central role, and more attacking options like Isco and James Rodriguez are just as ball-dominant, which would see even less touches for someone like Pjanic.

The Bosnian needs to have the ball at his feet to shine, and he just doesn't look like a particularly good fit with Real. The Spanish giants have a far greater need for depth at the striker position and at left-back, and it makes little sense to throw tons of money at a player they don't really need and who won't be for sale in January.

The story isn't too different for Barcelona, where the emergence of Sergi Roberto has removed the need for another central midfielder. Perhaps Pjanic would be a superb replacement for Andres Iniesta, but in all likelihood, such a move won't be entertained until the summer.

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