Some transfer rumors seem to have no real grip on real life, but they’re worth mentioning none the less: Real Madrid are looking at the Barcelona midfielder, Sergio Busquets.

There have been players in the past who have made the direct move from Barca to Real, so that isn’t such big news. Javier Saviola left Barcelona for their biggest rivals in 2007, but that wasn’t considered as betrayal, as Saviola had no place at the Camp Nou. When Luis Figo left for £50 million in 2000 the ground shook in Catalonia, and pigs heads were flying at corner flags.

There’s something a bit different in the balance of power at the moment between the clubs. Barcelona have won three of the last four league titles and are on their way towards a fourth. They’ve won three Champions League titles since Real Madrid last won theirs. It seems there isn’t a person on earth that doesn’t feel that Barcelona are just as big of a club as Real Madrid these days, even if they still have some catching up to do when it comes to titles, in Spain and in Europe.

As the rumors that Xabi Alonso might not want to end his career with Real Madrid, as it looks like a lot of players aren’t too happy with the direction the club has taken this season as Jose Mourinho is losing his grip on parts of his team, looking for another top notch central midfielder is becoming more and more of a priority.

But Busquets?According to Sport.es, it might happen. A man hated by Real Madrid fans for being part of the “ugly” side of Barcelona, that includes diving, feigning injuries and quite a lot of talk with the referees? Maybe when you look past the behavior, you see that he’s one of the best defensive midfielders in the world and a quite adequate centre back when necessary, who has a bit more of an attacking role this season under Tito Vilanova.

In truth, this just seems like wishful thinking at best. I’m not too sure Real will even approach Barcelona for this player, knowing that he has a release clause of £122 million and paying the kind of money they did for Luka Modric would be quite risky in the current financial climate.

Still, the idea is interesting, and worth mentioning nonetheless. It’ll probably never happen, but anything that might bring more bad blood into this heated rivalry is interesting to think about.