1) We have played 11 games this season so far. He has started 9 (!) of them. Playing in total 764 minutes. That is 78% of all available minutes. That does not look like a squad player. That is nailed on starter. And for that he is just not good enough, it is pretty obvious. I enjoyed the clip added few pages ago, but that is not how he plays right now. He gets the ball off himself as soon as there is any opposition player closer than 6 meters to him. Mostly it goes back or sideways. He does not turn nor progress the ball at this day and age. Basically his passing is not good enough, he does not retain possession under pressure well enough and his defensive contributions are so-and-so (nowhere near Palhinha level).
2) When you look at players around him - we have so much talent in similar areas - Bergvall 19, Gray 19, Sarr 23. And quite frankly Bergvall is already better in ball progressing. And Sarr is better at pressing / generally playing without the ball. But I am not sure neither of them or Gray at this point in time are really good enough to be the main tempo-setter and starters of our attack. I really think we cannot play Palhinha and Bentancur together. Also not sure in how many games would Benta be very good as #6. So I feel that actually we would need someone elite into #8 position right now, if we want to play for CL spots and have hopes going deep into CL run. Though if we get new #8 AND have talented youngsters coming through - then what is point of having Bentancur around at all?!? Considering he takes a foregin player spot, then just to have him as 2nd choice #6 and like 4th #8 is questionable.
So all there is to hope is that extention was made to retain his value. And that in January or in summer we can sell both Bentancur and Bissouma and bring on another #8 in someone like Tonalis style.
Then we could have -
#6 Palhinha -> Gray -> Sarr
#8 New CM -> Bergvall -> Sarr
#10 Xavi -> Kulu-> Madders
Basically 8 players for 3 spots.