Barcelona Transfer News 2014: Players Blaugrana Must Acquire This Summer
On Wednesday, FIFA announced that it had suspended the transfer ban on Barcelona that impeded the Spanish League club from making any purchases or sales during the next two transfer windows.
The club had appealed the ban on the grounds that it would the committee would not hear the case prior to the opening of the July 1 transfer window. Barcelona obtained the ban after reportedly breaching the rules for transfer regarding youth players.
Los Cules could still get a ban in the future, but the move by FIFA is a blessing for a team that has undergone chaos over the last year. A 7-0 loss against Bayern Munich last April started a descent that included the controversial of Neymar under questionable circumstances, the resignation of the team's former president as a result, and the woeful season that will likely leave the team without a trophy for the first time since 2007-08.
So what does Barcelona need to do with its second chance? Here are the types of transfers the team needs to make to not only salvage next season, but future seasons that could include a ban.
1. Get a goalie
Victor Valdes has been the main man for a long time in between Barcelona's pipes, but he has already stated that he is on his way out this summer. When the ban was imposed many clamored for the team to secure Valdes by resigning him. However, at age 32, it is clear that Valdes is not the future. Jose Manuel Pinto has taken the reigns since Valdes went down with an injury and he has been nothing short of abominable. He was a fault for both of Real Madrid's goals in the Copa del Rey and is a poor distributor from the back. The 24-year-old Oier Olazabal has been with the club since 2008 but has made just one appearance in that span. Coach Gerardo Martino had a number of chances to start him this season, especially after Valdes' season-ending injury, but he opted not to indicating that like his predecessors, he has no confidence in the young keeper.
So who does the team go after?
There have been numerous rumors regarding the team's interest in German keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The 21-year-old is one of the most highly touted goaltenders in the world and Barcelona has been constantly linked with him. While he is a great shotblocker, there are some lingering concerns over his footwork, especially after conceding an embarrassing howler in a friendly against the USA. That goal took place last summer and in January he gave up a nearly identical goal against Braunschweig in the Bundesliga. Barcelona's currently playing style demands that the team's netminder be a solid and reliable passer as the team often kicks it back to the keeper to restart plays. Can Ter Stegen fulfill this role?
Another option for the team would be to go after Manchester City's Joe Hart. There have been rumors that the English netminder may be leaving his current club and one of the major teams looking for his services is Real Madrid. Hart has seemingly gotten back into form after two rough seasons and he may be the man for Los Cules if they are ready to unload cash on him. He has had his woeful moments, but his legwork is not as questionable as Ter Stegen's.
The dark horse candidate could be Thibaut Courtois. The goalie currently plays for Atletico Madrid on loan from Chelsea. Courtois is playing his best soccer right now and has made it clear that he wants to be a starter and not ride the bench as he would at Chelsea. Madrid is said to be interested in buying him from Chelsea and if this is the case, then Barcelona could easily win his services as the Catalan side has the money to make the investment. It also helps that Courtois is already playing in Spain and is familiar with the brand soccer Barcelona would require him to play.
2. Fix the central defenders
Gerard Pique was once among the best center backs in the world. But year after year he seems to incur an injury that sets him back forward. Captain Carles Puyol is no longer the player he was four years ago and is slated for a summer exit. Aside from those two Barcelona is relying on Javier Mascherano (a midfielder-turned-defender), young and inexperienced Marc Bartra (who also lacks size to boot) and the combination of Alex Song and Sergio Busquets to give the team security in the middle of its backline. This has been an issue for years and throughout that time, Los Cules has refused to make a change. Now it is time.
The team is reportedly looking to grab Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen. He is a solid defender and at 6'2" he addresses the height issue for Los Cules. He is apparently on the market and would be an obvious choice for Barcelona.
Another choice would be David Luiz. The Chelsea defender fits the profile of being solid positionally but also having a terrific offensive instinct. He is also 6'2" and would give the team some structure on the backline. The issue here is whether Jose Mourinho would be willing to part with the Brazilian defender that has been such a key part of his club.
3. Bring in some Youth to fill out the midfield
Barcelona's main weapon is its midfield superiority. For the last few years, the team has relied heavily on the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas and Lionel Messi to lead its midfield attack. Iniesta and Xavi are descending from their peak while Fabregas has not been able to find the level that Barcelona was expecting when it acquired him a few years ago. Meanwhile Messi seems a bit lost at times without superior superstars around him. Barcelona obviously needs some youth in the midfield; some from its system and some from abroad.
Barcelona has a number of youngsters on loan at the moment including Gerardo Deulofeu, Rafinha, Bojan Krkic and Keirrison. Deulofeu and Bojan are both right wingers but Rafinha plays an attacking midfield position and could add some variety and flavor to Los Cules' attack. The 21-year-old has had four goals and five assists on a mediocre Celta Vigo side. His passing success is at 82.8 percent and is known not only for being solid with the ball, but also in retaining. He is also very good with long passing and would add a much needed dimension to Barcelona's play.
The remainder of the players seems like longer shots to be brought back. Twenty-year-old Deulofeu could also provide the team with some blazing speed along the right flank, but the team would need to rid itself of Pedro or Alexis Sanchez to make room for him. His time will come, but not yet. The same goes for Bojan who also plays the same position.
So who else does Barcelona bring in to fix its central situation?
There are actually two German players that the team should target -- Toni Kroos and Marco Reus. Both players are likely there for the taking. Borussia Dortmund has had to sell some of its top stars over the years and all indications point to Reus being a transfer target for a number of teams. The 24-year-old has scored 20 goals this season for Dortmund and would give Barcelona more pace and directness in the midfield. He is an intelligent passer that would also create space and time for Messi and Neymar.
Kroos is another terrific and cerebral passer that has blossomed under Pep Guardiola in 2013-14. Guardiola of course is Barcelona's former architect and he has infused his current Bayern Munich side with the same precise passing and high pressing. Kroos has become prolific under his new manager and his passing success is an astonishing 92.9 percent; he has averaged approximately 80 passes per game and has scored three goals and six assists this season. He does not have the finishing touch of a Reus, but he may not need to. With Messi and Neymar on the team, he would likely be the long-term replacement for Xavi.
The future looked murky for Barcelona a few weeks ago, but with the ban suspended, the team is now in a position where it can salvage its future with a terrific summer. Who do you think Barcelona should try to buy this summer? Do you agree with these suggestions?
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