MADRID - Barcelona and Spain have been searching for a player to hold their teams together like glue, orchestrating the midfield as Xavi Hernandez used to do for club and country.
Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara seems the natural heir to Xavi, who left Barcelona in 2015 after retiring from international duty the previous year.
Although manager Julen Lopetegui has made the 25-year-old Thiago a key cog in Spain's midfield, it is significantly harder for Barcelona to bring back its former player.
He left in 2013 for $26.1 million and Spanish media reported on Monday that Bayern has quoted the Catalans $90 million to re-sign him.
Barcelona did not do enough to persuade Thiago to stay, with Bayern pouncing to sign a player who was keen to reunite with former manager Pep Guardiola, who has since left Munich for Manchester City.
"Pep has always had a lot of faith in me, and me in him, so if he was still the coach I probably would have stayed," Thiago said at the time.
Lopetegui has long been a fan of Thiago, who was one of the best players when the coach led Spain to the Under-21 European Championship trophy in 2013.
Thiago scored a hat-trick in the final as Spain beat Italy 4-2, and Lopetegui has now made him a key part of the senior team's midfield, ahead of playmakers including Real Madrid's Isco and Atletico Madrid's Koke.
With Xavi retired and his long-time partner Andres Iniesta entering his final years at the top level, the onus is on the likes of Thiago to assume the mantle.
He started as Spain clobbered Israel 4-1 in a World Cup qualifier on Friday and could see action in Tuesday's crucial friendly against France in Paris.
Several of the players from Lopetegui's Under-21 team are establishing themselves with Spain, including David de Gea and Alvaro Morata. But to maintain the intricate passing style that led the country to 2010 World Cup and Euro 2008 and 2012 glory, the midfield maestro is essential.
That is why Barcelona is also attempting to recapture a player who has improved significantly under Carlo Ancelotti's guidance in Munich - although reports in Germany suggest Bayern is ready to offer him a new deal.
If Thiago succeeds with Spain, Barcelona will have an uncomfortable reminder of what might have been for them - unless it is willing to pay a high price.
Reuters
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