The emergence of Pau Cubarsí as a cornerstone of Barcelona’s future has fundamentally changed the profile of player the club is looking for. Cubarsí’s game is built on elite positioning, game reading, and distribution, but he is not a "speed merchant". Flick believes that to maximise the teenager's potential, he must be paired with a physical, rapid partner who can cover the space behind him when the opposition breaks quickly.
Pairing Cubarsí with Bastoni—two players who excel with the ball but lack explosive recovery speed—is a scenario Flick is determined to avoid. The manager is wary of repeating past tactical errors where the defence was left exposed by a lack of balance. This "tactical filter" now takes precedence over market opportunities or the sheer reputation of the player, effectively cooling the trail for the €70 million-rated Inter captain.