Where Barcelona Needs To Strengthen for the 24/25 course

With Hansi Flick appointed Barcelona’s head coach following Xavi Hernández’s exit, the time has come to discuss potential transfers. 

It is no secret that Barcelona appears in need of a revamp, moving on from some players while bringing in certain profiles that align with Flick’s vision.

Every coach has their transfer list, which always depends on the board’s approval. The situation is tougher at Barcelona, where a decade of mismanagement means the board is still working with limited funds to approve big signings. Nonetheless, there are always market opportunities.

A Single Pivot Is Essential

The single pivot is a critical position that continues to be a problem for Barcelona. 

Just yesterday, head coach Hansi Flick stated that “It is important for me to have a six that cares about the defence”. This comes hardly as a surprise, as the club hasn’t found a solution to the “Sergio Busquets” question since he left the club. In his later years, Busquets was often criticised for his lack of athleticism, but most fans knew there were no better solutions. 

During these critical transition years, Barcelona continued to invest in other players instead. Today, it has become increasingly obvious that this mistake will go down as one of the worst in football history.

Unfortunately, once Busquets left, a void was to be filled. Many assumed for years that Frenkie de Jong would be a perfect fit, but between injuries and tactical stagnation, he has proven to be unable to fill this role alone. 

Frenkie de Jong originally became a brilliant midfielder in a double-pivot at Ajax with the freedom to roam around, but these conditions were never replicated at Barcelona. 

He has had a couple of roles at the Catalan capital, ranging from interiors to box-to-box. As a single pivot, his performance has been inconsistent, often losing his marker due to a lack of defensive discipline. 

Consequently, Frenkie is no longer viewed as a viable option for the single pivot role at the club.

All of this leads to the conclusion that it must be someone else. The club also brought in another option – Girona’s Oriol Romeu, who proved to be catastrophic. Despite having one good month with Frenkie de Jong, his lack of dynamism and speed has been detrimental to Barcelona’s midfield stability.

But There Aren’t Any Left On The Market…

The current market lacks high-level single-pivot options. The few that exist are tied to top clubs, such as Rodri, Declan Rice, and João Palhinha.

There were a few promising options the club didn’t seem to value enough to jump in, including Federico Redondo, Gabriel Moscardo, and Pepelu. This means that the club continues to grapple with the same problems. 

It seems as if the club gave up on finding a suitable single pivot, as there are no current transfer links to such players. After all – if it doesn’t exist, it’s better to strengthen it elsewhere.

Barcelona Is Looking To Strengthen Elsewhere

Unsurprisingly, the lack of options means Barcelona is looking for other deals and might capitalise on a last-minute opportunity if it deems it worthwhile; there is still more than enough time left in the transfer window. 

One also wonders whether Marc Casado, Barcelona Atlétic’s maestro, could arise as an option for the single pivot role. However, Barcelona has primarily been linked with attacking players.

One transfer that looks almost certain to be completed is the acquisition of Nico Williams, Athletic Club’s standout winger. The board is likely more motivated after EURO 2024, where Williams shone as a superstar for the team alongside Lamine Yamal, who is already at Barcelona.

The Williams-Yamal Chemistry As A Deadly Combo

The chemistry that Williams and Yamal have developed in the national team would likely encourage the younger Williams to move to the Catalan capital.Barcelona has struggled to replicate Neymar’s impact since the Brazilian left for Paris Saint-Germain. 

Ousmane Dembélé was tried in that role but without much success. Ferrán Torres had a decent run without being consistently impressive. Nowadays, it’s Raphinha who often fills that role, but he lacks the dribbling skills to be the 1v1 threat, preferring instead to make runs behind the defender.

Nico Williams would provide the profile that Barcelona needs, particularly when considering that nobody would want to face the Yamal-Williams duo. 

The attack has particularly looked disappointing as an ageing Robert Lewandowski cannot cover as much ground as he once could – meaning that the creative strains fall on the midfield and the attack. 

Does Barcelona Lack Midfielders?

Barcelona shouldn’t lack midfield options, but they are exploring the possibility of bringing academy graduate Dani Olmo back home. 

Barcelona’s midfield has availability issues, given that Gavi has just come back from a year-long ACL injury while Pedri is sidelined once again.

This situation puts considerable strain on an ageing Ilkay Gündogan, while Frenkie de Jong will also be out for a few months. 

This leaves Oriol Romeu and Fermín Lopez as the remaining midfield options, with Unai Hernández knocking at the door for promotion. This probably explains why Barcelona is looking at Dani Olmo, who would replace Pedri. Aside from the rumoured €60 million fee, the only issue is that Olmo himself has struggled with injuries since 2021, mirroring Pedri’s issues.

Olmo would be an interesting option, but he isn’t expected to be a priority signing. Instead, he represents a market opportunity in a bid to bolster the squad amidst their injury woes.

A Center-Back Injury Crisis Poses A Problem

Another pressing question from the fans is whether the club needs another centre-back. Indeed, Ronald Araújo is among the injured for the next months, while Christensen has regularly struggled with consistency. 

Many would like to shout Jules Koundé, but he has looked more comfortable as a right-back throughout the season. Sure, he can supplement, but this is far from ideal. In that case, the club could consider João Cancelo as a full-back option.

Another potential solution is La Masia Academy graduate Hector Fort. If

the club won’t look for new options, Mikayil Faye, who is looking to step into professional football after a decent season with Barcelona Atlètic, could be accommodated. 

Many consider Fort’s profile athletically promising, but there are concerns about his focus and game reading. His passing could supplement the role of Christensen if injured, while the young defender can also play as a wide center-back. 

Last but not least, if the club would still look at another option, it cannot be an expensive one – assuming most of the funds will go towards the Williams transfer.