How things stand: Defensive midfielder

(at the end of the season, Barça Transfer Zone looks forward to the coming transfer summer making an analysis for each position, in part 5 we look at the defensive midfielder)

2007-2008

He was the least known of the four transfers last summer, but Ivorian defensive midfielder Yaya Touré (24) established himself from the start as a key player in the team. If he was not fit or during the Africa Cup he was replaced by Rafael Márquez (29), Andrés Iniesta (23) or José Edmílson (31), who was injured during the first part of the season.

Out

The contract of Brazilian defensive midfielder Edmílson, who arrived in 2004 from Olympique Lyon, expires in June and will not be renewed. In the last months the player has been linked with clubs like Betis, Besiktas and Villareal. Mexican central defender and defensive midfielder Márquez could also leave (read more here).

In

Barcelona had planned to bring in a solid back-up for Touré. But it is now to be seen what the effect of the appointment of Josep Guardiola as the new Barcelona manager will be on how this position will be filled in. If Guardiola wants to bring back the 'pivote', the playmaker before the defence that he has been during his career, it could well be that Xavi or Iniesta, who were formed at this position, could be pulled back.

Olympique Lyon midfielder and Barcelona loan out Marc Crosas (20), who was nicknamed "the new Guardiola" (both for the position he played as for the physical resemblance), has now probably more chance to come back, despite having said he would prefer to stay at least one more year at Lyon.

This could also cause Barcelona to look for another type of player. Barcelona has been linked with players like Christian Poulsen (Sevilla - 28), Seydou Keita (Sevilla - 28), Daniele De Rossi (Roma - 24), Stéphane Mbia (Rennes - 21) and David Albelda (Valencia - 30), but Guardiola could well prefer a player like Xabi Alonso (Liverpool - 26).

Read all How things stand contributions here in the coming weeks or read the contribution about:

Goal keeper - Right back defender - Central defenders - Left back defender - Defensive midfielder - Attacking midfielders - Wing attackers - Centre forward

Albelda not wanting to exclude Spanish move

After he lost a court case against his club (read more here), Valencia midfielder David Albelda (30) has returned to the negotiating table trying to assure his exit at the end of the season.

The main obstacle for Valencia to let the player go on a free transfer is that the Spanish international, who has a buyout clause of 60 million euro, doesn’t want to accept to restriction that he cannot sign for any other Liga team: “If they don’t want me anymore in Valencia, it’s just not fair that not only I lose money but I also should leave Spain.” Barcelona is one of the Spanish clubs rumoured to be interested in Albelda (read more here).

Albelda on the list

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Valencia defensive midfielder David Albelda (30) is on the Barcelona list of possible transfers for next summer. The Spanish international, who would also have offers from Villareal, Tottenham and Real Madrid, took his club to court in an attempt to break up his contract and to leave on a free transfer (read more here).

Albelda wants Barça door open

Valencia and their former captain David Albelda (30) still didn't find an agreement on how to solve the problem that rose when the player, together with his team mates Cañizares and Angulo, was told in December last year he would not play for the club anymore.

Albelda wants to leave on a free transfer and under certain conditions Valencia can agree with that. One the remaining problems is that the club wishes to prevent the midfielder from signing for some other Liga clubs, one of them being Barcelona. Albelda don't want to accept such terms.

The club and the player have only a few hours left to reach a bilateral agreement. If not, a court will decide on Friday.