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Barcelona midfielder Pedri recently expressed his interest in becoming a future captain of the club. The 20-year-old, however, said that he is too young to take up that responsibility on an immediate basis.
Sergi Roberto is the current captain of the club. However, the 31-year-old's contract will run out at the end of the 2023-24 season, meaning Barca could be forced to look for a new captain next season.
Speaking on the matter, Pedri said (via Barca Universal):
"Who doesn't want to be captain of their dream team? I know someone voted for me but I think I'm still too young for that."
While Pedri is young, it's hard to undermine his importance in the club. Since joining Barcelona from Las Palmas in 2019, the midfielder has so far made 109 appearances for the club, scoring 16 goals and providing eight assists.
The Spaniard had an injury-plagued campaign last season and could only make 35 appearances. Despite the limited number of appearances, he racked up seven goals and provided one assist across competitions.
Pedri is expected to be a long-term member of Barcelona's future plans. Hence, him becoming the captain in the coming years is not a far-fetched idea.
Pedri spoke about his importance in the Barcelona team
There is no denying the fact that Pedri is one of the key players for Barcelona to succeed. The Spanish midfielder is a master orchestrator and can dictate the pace of a game with ease.
When he was sidelined with an injury last season, Barca looked a shell of themselves oftentimes. He was quizzed on the matter, to which the 20-year-old replied (via Barca Universal):
“I don’t think so. We have a good squad. I try to help as much as I can on and off the pitch. But above all, I try to enjoy football. That’s when things work out best for me.”
Further speaking about whether he is an indispensable player, he said:
“I feel I’m an important player. But I don’t think anyone in the group is indispensable, we are all there to pull together. It’s the collective that makes the difference.”
Pedri will once again be a key piece of Xavi's puzzle for the 2023-24 season as Barcelona look to defend their status as La Liga champions. With Ilkay Gundogan joining the club as a free agent from Manchester City, Barca could be expected to become more dynamic in the midfield next season.
