Barcelona could pursue the signature of Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar in the near future, with reports suggesting that Lionel Messi has given his vote of confidence to sign the central defender. The Slovakian international has been in good form over the last 18 months which has attracted interest from Europe’s elite clubs.
A report in Diario Gol claims that manager Ernesto Valverde, Messi, and central defender Gerard Pique have given the Barcelona board the green light to sign the 24-year-old defender.
The report states that the Catalan giants feel that Clement Lenglet is not going to further improve, while Samuel Umtiti’s injuries could result in him leaving the club. With Pique set to turn 33 in February, Barcelona want a long-term replacement for him at the club, which could be Skriniar.
The report further reveals that Barca could sign Skriniar for around €60 million, which is his current market value. Skriniar signed an extension to his contract earlier this year, which now expires in 2023.
Real Madrid are also interested in signing the Slovak defender.
Should the club pursue Milan Skriniar?
The 24-year-old central defender has grown by leaps and bounds and has become one of the best defenders in Europe. The Slovakian, who joined Inter in 2017, is a no-nonsense operator who tackles hard and is not averse to putting the ball in the stands when he senses danger. He averages 3.1 clearances per game in Serie A this season for Inter while making 1.2 tackles per game.
The 6’2″ defender is strong in the air, which could be a key reason for signing him at Barcelona as the current La Liga champions have looked weak in that aspect.
He is also a player who can distribute from the back when in possession, playing an average of 3.4 long balls per game and 66.4 passes per game in the league this season. While long balls may not be a tactic used at Barcelona, it could be used in counter-attacking situations.
Milan Skriniar is a solid defender, who is a leader at the back and takes charge in times of need. This is an area that Barcelona will miss when Pique eventually retires. The Slovakian central defender could be a good signing for Barcelona and would make for a good pairing with Lenglet when Pique is benched or injured.
The Catalan giants have looked flaky in a number of aspects this season, mostly in defence and midfield and a strong and no-nonsense commanding presence at the back might be just what they need.