Why Sergio Busquets Is the 1 Player Barcelona Can't Afford to Lose This Summer

Barcelona losing Lionel Messi is an unthinkable prospect. Of course he would be the man they have to keep at all costs, but the reality is it's unlikely to see him leave the Camp Nou until he feels it's time to either retire or see out his playing days in Argentina.

So among the realistic options of players who could depart, the one man Barcelona can't afford to lose is Sergio Busquets.

It shouldn't be this way; the 27-year-old has done enough over the years to be a "must-keep". And there's nobody at Barcelona who wants to see him walk away.

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

But trouble with money means Barcelona haven't given him the pay rise that the star has been promised for some time.

Per Sport, the Badia-born midfielder is starting to lose patience.

The article read:

"

Barcelona promised him they would give him a big rise, to convert him into one of the best paid players in the squad, but the eagerness of the player is clashing with the slow approach from the club on this matter.

...

The player, for his part, thinks he has been made to wait a long time and now his patience is ending. He will have to wait until the end of the season to find out the plans of the club. It may be an improvement in terms but not necessarily an extension of his deal.

"

The reason Barcelona are not renewing Busquets' deal just yet is because they are waiting for their income avenues to be confirmed.

As of now, they don't have a sponsor for their new kits, which have started being produced, as reported by Sport.

That might make for a strip that lots of fans want to get their hands on, before some company's name is plastered all over it, but it doesn't allow the club too much flexibility when it comes to finances.

Furthermore, they are yet to sell a "surname" for the Camp Nou, one of the big ways they are looking to finance the new stadium, per Tony Frieros of Sport.

Shizuo Kambayashi/Associated Press

Busquets’ deal runs until 2019, but it’s not good to have an unhappy player at the club. Since the stories about the midfielder’s discontent started, his form has dropped off.

There’s no implication that it’s a deliberate change—there are lots of possible factors, including tiredness, with Busquets the only player in the squad without an obvious, reliable stand-in—but it has been noticeable.

Sergi Roberto has been utilised in the defensive midfield role, and Sergi Samper has great potential to be the Busquets of the future, but for now nobody else in world football can play his position as well as he can. Not even close.

There is real danger he could leave too, with both Manchester City and PSG linked with a move.

Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Busquets hailed incoming City manager Pep Guardiola, whom he played under at Barcelona, per ESPN (h/t Daily Mail):

"

I have always said there are just two people who could make me change my decision to stay at Barcelona. One of those two persons is my wife. And she is happy here right now, so I don't think there will be any issues on a personal level. On a sporting level, that other person is Guardiola. It's clear that I owe Pep a lot and I would be honoured to work with him again.

"

Meanwhile, Mundo Deportivo, h/t the Mirror, point out that French champions PSG are looking to make a move for the midfielder.

In the end, the most likely option is that Busquets gets his new Barcelona deal, just as soon as they sort out their finances. But the club would do well to make sure he’s content and not looking to leave, because he would be the trickiest player to replace.