Barcelona are officially champions of Spain this season by beating Granada 3-0 courtesy of a hattrick from the man-in-form Luis Suárez. With this victory Barça edged out as the winners with a one point lead over rivals Real Madrid thereby resulting in another Matchday laced with uncertainties.
Away from all these are talks of a massive overhaul that was long due at the Catalan club. Competition fosters success and results in better performances. Players like Suarez, Neymar, Alba has had no real competitors and as a result of it, in case of injury or dip in performances the team suffers. Let us have a glance at few of the names doing the transfer rounds-
Hatem Ben Arfa
Plying his trade from Ligue 1 side Nice, Ben Arfa is one of the more probable candidates set to be acquired for the coming season.
After having a great season in Nice which has caught the attention of a number of clubs coupled with the fact that he is soon to be a free agent in the summer, Barça have made contact with the player according to a number of sources. With 17 goals in Ligue 1 he is the 4th highest scorer in the competition and his career seems to have been rejuvenated after the season he is having.
There are lots of disadvantages to signing the player however. He always had the talent but his undisciplined and rashness has often cost the team a great deal. Also after below par performances in the Premier League, a great season in France isn’t a guaranteed recipe for success in La Liga. The Board must be very sure before signing a player and make him sit on the bench for the entirety of the season.
David Alaba
Currently the world’s best left-back and by some margin. Pep Guardiola has transformed the player and is one of Bayern Munich‘s most important player.
Quite versatile with lots of pace and stamina, he can operate in the left-back or the central midfield with equal ease. Perhaps if that weren’t enough, he is also capable of taking corners and free kicks and the list goes on. A gem of a player, any team in the world would grab the opportunity to sign the 23-year old Austrian.
A player of his quality comes with a cost and Bayern aren’t likely to get rid of their youth product so easily. This deal would be possible only if the player forces his club to and that seems a bit far stretched at the moment. But it is learnt the player wants to play in midfield instead of the usual left back role he is accustomed to. Barça must utilize this opportunity if they harbour any desire of signing Alaba.
Denis Suárez
On loan to Villarreal for the year, Denis Suárez performed exceptionally well guiding the Yellow Submarine to the semis of the Europa League and also confirming a play-off berth in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
Activating the buyout clause will cost just 2.5 Million Euros and he will be a steal at this amount. The former Barça B product will also relish the chance to star alongside some of the greatest footballers of the generation and that will provide him extra motivation to succeed. An attacking midfielder by trade, he is equally adept at playing on the wings and is likely to provide depth to both department for the Blaugrana.
His only drawback may be his young age. But playing in European competitions and playing a major part in his team’s success shows the level of maturity and experience he has gained so far. All in all, this looks like a done deal and we can only wait for the official announcement which is likely to be after the Copa Del Rey finals.
Marquinhos
Another teenage prodigy who has backed up the hype with performances from time to time. But the presence of fellow countrymen Thiago Silva and David Luis has hampered his playing time for French Champions PSG. Silva is arguably the most complete defender in the world right now and his partnership with Luis has resulted in a steady backline thereby forcing the young Marquinhos to either play out of position as a fullback or watch from the sidelines.
A former Barça target, he is said to be interested in joining the Catalans. Young and good with the ball at his feet, he can be a perfect complimentary to Gerard Piqué. Also, his is quite good in the air and makes excellent interceptions to thwart rival attacks. Considered to be among the finest young defenders in the world, he will be quite an asset to the team being able to operate on a number of positions.
As the same with Alaba, he is quite prized by the owners of PSG who see him as the 32-year old Silva’s heir and will likely fight to keep him in the French capital. Also he is likely to cost around 40-50 million Euros and Barça’s financial condition reportedly being unstable may be unable to afford such a price for a single player. The transfer bosses will have their hands full if the deal is to materialize.
