Barcelona are in dire need of a striker and they have known that ever since their dismissal of Luis Suarez. The now Atletico Madrid striker was let go of as he was not deemed young enough to play for the Catalans.
That was one of Ronald Koeman’s biggest mistakes and he has been trying to rectify that ever since. The Dutch manager tried to get Inter Milan striker, Lautaro Martinez, but the price was too high and they could not afford him.
After that, a deal for Memphis Depay was tried out but due to the failure of selling Ousmane Dembele, they did not have the funds required to buy Depay from Lyon either.
The entire season was played without a good first-team striker and Martin Braithwaite was not deemed good enough by Koeman.
Now he is searching for a striker who can replace the Uruguayan legend and here are five choices they could try for next season.
Alexander Isak (Age: 21 | Club: Real Sociedad)
The 21-year-old striker from Real Sociedad is a great choice for longevity and the future. Isak is a great alternative for expensive options such as Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappe and the striker has been getting a lot of goals as well. His decent tally of 13 goals in 28 league matches along with two assists has gotten the attention of Barcelona who are considering him as a cheaper option.
He has great ball control and can pull off a few nice tricks to beat the defenders. What he lacks in pace he makes up in skills and he has a good height as well to head in balls. He is a good option for the Catalans however, they will only consider Isak as a second-choice striker for now with Joan Laporta aiming for a big-name player to replace Suarez.
Promising Youngster
Donyell Malen (Age: 22 | Club: PSV Eindhoven)
Another youngster whom the Blaugrana could consider is PSV Eindhoven’s Donyell Malen. The Dutch striker is just 22 years of age and has graduated from Ajax’s youth academy. This already tells us that he would understand the Barca philosophy, but in addition to that, he has also played for Arsenal’s youth team.
This season he has shown his true potential with PSV by scoring 25 goals in all competitions, 17 in the league alone. He has also nine assists in all competitions, proving that he is not a selfish player and will pass to his teammates when required. His age is a huge plus point for the club as the coaches at Barca can mentor him and develop him in their own way, He is yet to hit his prime and could be a good investment for the future however, as he is not from the top 5 leagues of the world, Laporta might be a bit reluctant on signing him.
Ronald Koeman’s Pick
Memphis Depay (Age: 27 | Club: Olympique Lyonnais)
Memphis Depay is the player whom Koeman badly wanted to sign at the beginning of the season. Although the Dutch player is not a striker traditionally, he can play as a number nine and Koeman has the experience of playing Depay as the number nine for the Netherlands National team. Barcelona were unable to find enough funds for him in the last transfer window however, his contract with Lyon is coming to an end and he will be a free agent at the end of the season.
This will be very favorable for the Catalans as they are going through a financial crisis and they must look at free agents as it will dismiss the need of paying a transfer fee. Depay has also proved himself quite well and he has scored 20 goals in all competitions along with nine assists. Koeman has already worked with him before and will thus know exactly how to use him and thus Depay is a good and safe option for the Blaugranas.
Premier League Legend
Sergio Aguero (Age: 32 | Club: Manchester City)
Sergio Aguero is one player on the list who has no downsides and there is no reason why the Catalans should not go for him. The former Atletico Madrid player and current Manchester City legend is becoming a free agent at the end of the season and he still has a couple of years left in his boots. The 32-year-old has been deemed to be a surplus at Manchester but his talent warrants him a few more years.
He would be a perfect fit for Barcelona as he already has a good understanding of La Liga and he also has a good relationship with Lionel Messi. He can be a great temporary option until the Catalans find a younger option and if the dismissal of Suarez taught Koeman anything, it is that age is just a number when it comes to football. The legendary striker will be a great addition and he will surely get quite a few goals on his second trip to the Spanish League.
2020 Golden Boy
Erling Haaland (Age: 20 | Club: Borussia Dortmund)
Finally, the last one is the biggest name of them all, Erling Haaland. The Borussia Dortmund striker has been creating waves around the world ever since his emergence in last season’s Champions League with RB Salzburg. The Norwegian striker has kept up his insane form this season as well with the Bundesliga side and has proven to the world that he is good enough to play in the big leagues with the biggest of clubs.
He has scored 25 goals in 26 league appearances and is only rivaled by Robert Lewandowski. He has also provided seven assists in the league and scored 10 more in the Champions League. This is an insane number of goals and assists for a 20-year-old and he is already being considered as a super striker. Laporta has not kept it a secret that he wants to sign him however, his 150 million euros price tag will be too expensive for the Catalan side. The European Super League was an answer to this problem however since the league has been put on hold, they must find another way of securing funds to bring Haaland to Catalonia.
Which of these strikers would you like to see at the Nou Camp?
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