Barcelona identify three potential replacements for Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez’s recent struggles have shown the need for a long-term replacement and Barcelona have a plan to replace him.
The Uruguayan has been an excellent asset for the club since he joined in 2014, but his recent struggles have highlighted his decline. He is still among the top goalscorers in the world, however, he is now past his peak and his goal return is set to continue diminishing with every passing season.
According to Don Balon, Barcelona have created a list of potential replacements for him with the intention of bringing in one of them next summer. The three names on the list are Gabriel Jesus, Timo Werner and Harry Kane. None of them would be cheap or easy to sign, but they are currently some of the best young forwards in the game.
Realistically, Werner would be the easiest to bring in because RB Leipzig can’t guarantee Champions League football and don’t have the income of Premier League teams to fund large contracts.
There has been speculation about a move away with Real Madrid rumoured to be the destination, although he appears likely to stay this season. However, he only has two years left on his contract, so Leipzig may be forced to sell him next summer. This would deny him the chance to work under Julian Nagelsmann, though, who is one of the bright young managers in world football.
Werner is adept at pressing from his time at Leipzig and would be a willing runner in behind the defence to take advantage of a high defensive line by stretching it vertically. It’s also likely that he could also play out of position on the wing, if needed, due to his pace, 1v1 ability and intelligent movement off the ball.
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He has managed 21 goals in all competitions for Leipzig in each of his last two seasons. This is good for a 22-year-old, but it would need to increase at Barcelona, however, he’s likely to have a lot more chances if he joins the Catalans. Most importantly, he could link up with the other attackers and be part of a fluid attacking shape as well as contributing defensively through counter-pressing as well as pressuring the opposition as part of the defensive shape.
Gabriel Jesus would be a good fit due to his experience of positional play from working under Pep Guardiola as well as his ability to play all along the forward line. He probably has the highest potential of the three names mentioned due to how he can read play, contribute creatively and finish clinically even though he is only 21-years-old; the Brazilian has plenty of room to grow which makes him a scary proposition.
Taking away from Manchester City would be a tough task, though. They are in the midst of an exciting project under Guardiola and he’s likely to replace Sergio Aguero as the main striker over the next few seasons. However, another season without Champions League glory may convince him to move away and the lure of working alongside players such as Lionel Messi is likely to be enticing.
Harry Kane is more of a ready-made alternative than the other two because he is used to being the main player for Tottenham as well as the focal point of the team. His clinical nature in front of the net is his best attribute, but he has shown for Spurs and England that he can fluidly change into a playmaker role during situations in matches. This would work well with Messi who would have a similar role to his current teammate Christian Eriksen.
It would be tough to convince him to leave his boyhood club especially when he seems to be eyeing Alan Shearer’s record as the top goalscorer in the Premier League. There is also Daniel Levy to consider because he is one of the toughest negotiators in football, so a huge fee would be required to even convince him of the merits of the deal.
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Therefore, Werner is the best option and the one they should be targeting most for next summer. He’s likely to attract a lot of suitors, though, which means this won’t be easy. Real Madrid have already been linked with him and Bayern Munich will be looking for someone to replace Robert Lewandowski over the coming seasons. It’s a key need for the squad, so it needs to be addressed sooner or later even if it does require a large fee.