When you look at Barcelona, you see a club that is in the making. They used to be the best club in the world once upon a time and till very recently, they were one of the favorites to win the La Liga every season. However, after the exit of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar, the team has become rather blunt in the attacking end. The club has managed to bring in a few decent players to put the balls at the back of the net however, they are just not enough at the moment and what the club really needs is a traditional striker.
Barcelona currently has only one traditional or conventional striker and that is Martin Braithwaite. The Danish striker was one of the most bizarre buys of the club and he was never good enough to fit into the first team of the club. He was always meant to be a reserve player however, now he is the only striker remaining. Memphis Depay was brought into the club this season in order to fill in the number nine spot, however, he is not consistent enough, and with the lack of a Messi-type figure in the club, the number of goals that Barca scores have gone down significantly.
Barcelona boss in search of a new striker
Now Xavi has decided that a striker is what he needs and not just any striker, a world-class one, one who can make an instant impact on the team. Joan Laporta and his team are working tirelessly to get Xavi the player that he wants; however, given the Catalans current situation, it would not be surprising that they do not end up with the player that they want. For that reason, Barcelona should keep some alternatives in their mind, and here are the five best strikers they could go for in 2022.
5. Karim Adeyemi
The first player that the Catalans could try to go for is Karim Adeyemi of RB Salzburg. The German player is a former Bayern Munich academy player and has replaced Erling Haaland in the club seamlessly. The 19-year-old might not be as prolific as Haaland however, he has made the Austrian league look easy as he has already scored 14 goals in 19 league appearances. He has also provided five assists so far meaning that he had direct involvement in a goal every game. He also scored three goals in the UEFA Champions League group stage and helped his team advance into the Round of 16 where they will face the mighty Bayern.
He might not be a household name yet however, coming from the same club that gave the world Haaland, big things could be expected. He was already targeted by Liverpool last year and Borussia Dortmund has made him their number one choice should Haaland leave. Thus, he will not be an easy signing for the Catalans however, he will provide longevity and can grow into a world-class player with proper training and dedication.
4. Julian Alvarez
Another out-of-the-box player that the Catalans would have no problem signing is Julian Alvarez. The 21-year-old Argentine was linked with Barca previously as well, however, they later stopped pushing for the player when Xavi made Ferran Torres his main target. One of the main reasons why he would be a great signing for the Catalans is that he has a very low release clause. To trigger his clause, Barca would only have to pay River Plate 17 million euros; however, this also makes him a good option for competing clubs.
According to reports, Manchester United, Napoli and AC Milan are all trying for the young Argentine who has been showing a lot of potential in the South American league. However, the main gamble that Barca will be taking is that the player has no experience in Europe and he might not be ready for the move yet. The Blaugrana will have to make a decision soon though since United are serious about the player and will not hesitate to trigger his clause in the winter transfer window.
3. Alvaro Morata
Juventus’ Alvaro Morata is very high up on the list of strikers that Barca could get, not because he is the best option, but because he has been heavily linked with the club for the last couple of weeks. Morata is apparently one of Barca’s main targets if they are unable to sign Haaland and Juve has already decided that they will not pay Atletico Madrid’s 40 million buyout fee for the player. Thus, Morata will be on his way back to La Liga but that is where the Catalans come in.
Barca and Atletico are on good terms and the two clubs have done a lot of dealings in the past. Morata is not really needed at the Madrid side however, the Catalans really need a striker. If the club manages to negotiate the player’s price and reduce it, there is a high chance that the former Chelsea player ends up at Barca. The player is a proper number nine whose only contribution on the pitch will be to put the ball at the back of the net. He is good with his head and with his feet however, he has been underperforming this season, which is why he is not Barca’s first choice.
2. Edinson Cavani
Another route that the Catalans could take next transfer window is recruiting free agents. Barca managed to get a lot of brilliant free agents this season including the likes of Depay, Sergio Aguero, Eric Garcia and Dani Alves. They might be willing to go down the same route one more time and bring in Edinson Cavani as a temporary solution. They tried the same thing last window when they brought in the Manchester City legend; however, Aguero’s heart problems meant that his career was cruelly halted.
Cavani is 34 years old however, he is still a constant threat in front of the goal. His years of experience has made him deadly in the six-yard box and he managed to score 17 goals while providing 10 assists last season in all competitions. He has been a bit more inconsistent this season; however, injuries have prevented him from getting into good form. He is still a very viable player at this age and he would be a good temporary solution until Barca can get a younger and more vibrant striker.
1. Erling Haaland
No one apart from Haaland can top this list. Laporta has been promising Haaland to Barca fans since the days of his presidential campaigns. Haaland was one of the main reasons why he was elected in the first place. Laporta’s relationship with Mino Raiola made it possible for the deal to go through and he has already had a lot of meetings with the agent till now. The narrative now is that Haaland wants to go to La Liga over the Premier League and Real Madrid cannot afford both Kylian Mbappe and Haaland.
This makes Barcelona the favorites to buy Haaland and if they are able to secure him, a front three of Ansu Fati, Haaland and Torres will be absolutely lethal. The main problem, however, is the fact that Barca will have to use the money meant for the stadium and they will also have to sell a lot of players in order to accommodate Haaland’s wages. It will be a complicated procedure however, it is for the man who has scored 15 goals in 13 appearances in the league, so all the hard work will pay off in the end.
Which striker should Barcelona sign?