Like so many clubs these days, one defeat is all it seems to take for Barcelona to fall into a major crisis.
There has been almost constant talk of Xavi Hernandez losing his job and that chatter will only intensify if they fall further from the top of La Liga. After 18 matches, they are seven points behind both Real Madrid and Girona, meaning a title defence is looking more and more unlikely.
It’s no secret Barca have had their fair share of injuries so far in the 2023/24 season, but the gap at the top is bigger than they expected it to be. Had they not gotten into the Champions League last 16, Xavi may well have been in serious trouble, especially given his relationship with those upstairs appears very strained.
Here are the areas Barca may look to address in the 2024 January transfer window and the players they could target.
Much like their main rivals Real Madrid, Barca are not swimming in conventional strikers at the moment. They have Robert Lewandowski, who seems destined to keep scoring goals until the end of time, but there are few alternative options behind him.
Joao Felix could play that central role but he’s a very different forward to Lewandowski. The good news is Brazilian youngster Vitor Roque is expected to arrive in January which provides a fresh option, but at 18 years old, they may want another forward on a short-term deal who can guarantee a handful of goals. Someone like Joselu, if you will.
Key targets
Given the club would like to move away from signing ageing and expensive stars who have subsequently underwhelmed in recent years, the majority of their transfer links are to South American youngsters like Roque.
The Catalan giants were interested in 17-year-old Gianluca Prestianni from Velez Sarsfield who has been likened to Wayne Rooney, but Benfica look ready to complete a deal of their own first. He can play centrally and on the wing and would be a versatile addition if Barca can edge their noses in front.
Barca have felt the effects of Sergio Busquets’ departure in 2023/24 and while they did sign Oriol Romeu as a short-term replacement, he is no Busquets and is expected to be phased out. There are a number of incredibly talented midfielders at Barca but they are all on the more creative side.
They lack that player with endless energy who can screen the defence and start attacks, a role Busquets defined at Camp Nou over the past decade or so. Club president Joan Laporta has confirmed Barca will look to bring a midfielder in during the January window, and one with defensive capabilities would do the trick.
Then again, if they could sign a player to take that role for the next decade, they’d be laughing.
Key targets
Again, Barca are targeting young stars for this role. 18-year-old midfielder Gabriel Moscardo has been pursued, but Paris Saint-Germain look to have beaten Europe’s elite by agreeing a deal with Corinthians.
“There was a proposal from Chelsea months ago, but I talk a lot with my agent and my parents and they try to give me as little information as possible,” Moscardo said recently. “They say there is not long until the end of the season, they tell me to dedicate myself and do well, and that at the end of the season, there will be good things.”
Barca have also considered a move for Tottenham’s Giovani Lo Celso, but whether he could play the deep role to Xavi’s liking is another thing entirely.
This is a position that has seen plenty of rotation ever since Dani Alves’ time with the club came to an end. During the first half of the season, Xavi seemed to have settled on Joao Cancelo, although he has also used the Portugal international on the left in place of Alejandro Balde. Jules Kounde has also been used in this role, as has Ronald Araujo.
There is clear desire for a steady and consistent right-back to help Barca nail down a settled back four, and there is no shortage of talent in the position throughout Europe right now.
Key targets
There have been audacious links to Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold in the past, but he is almost certain to remain in the Premier League with his boyhood club.
Girona right-back Arnau Martinez, who spent six years in Barca’s youth system, is known to be of interest, but the Blaugrana would need to see off competition from Real Madrid and Manchester City. It would, however, weaken Girona and secure a talented young player who would not cause Barca any registration issues.
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