FC Barcelona didn’t have a successful season in the 2016-17 campaign, at least by their standards.
Despite the fact that they have a star-studded squad, they failed short to reach their goals. Los Blaugranas finished second in La Liga, and to make things worse, they saw how Real Madrid lifted the trophy in the final matchweek. Their UEFA Champions League campaign wasn’t better, and they lost against Juventus in the quarterfinals. They have the chance to add some silverware to their decorated room, however. Barcelona are massive favorites to win the Copa del Rey against Alaves. It would be shocking if they don’t lift that Cup, honestly.
However, all signs indicate Barcelona’s focus is on the 2017-18 season. They will have a new manager, and they will aim at winning everything they can. A league title and a Champions League trophy are their objective, so the team needs to strengthen accordingly if they want to compete against sides such as Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and Juventus, among others.
Most pundits who follow Barcelona know the side will try to add quality players. A right back, depth in midfield, and a few creative players have been linked with an arrival to Camp Nou. However, Barcelona shouldn’t add forwards to the team. They have enough depth on the attack, especially considering the return of a few elements that spent last season on loan.
As things stand now, Barcelona now Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, and Neymar upfront. Paco Alcacer didn’t have a good season, but he can do a competent job. And while Arda Turan will likely move elsewhere this summer, Barcelona should have enough depth. Munir and Sandro Ramirez will return from loan deals at Valencia and Malaga, respectively. And there are options on the U19 squad, too.
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Making a quick count, that’s six forwards, and seven if we add Turan to the mix. That’s enough for a team that can operate Iniesta on the wing, as well. And we do not even know how Barcelona will lineup under the management of their future manager.
Honestly, Barcelona need to focus in strengthen other positions. The team needs a right back, another center back, and they could use a left back to add competition to Jordi Alba. The midfield could also need a player or two, as they need another defensive midfielder in case Sergio Busquets suffers an injury.
A creative presence in midfield could be useful as well. Iniesta isn’t getting any younger, and Andre Gomes was a huge bust in his first season at Camp Nou. There’s talk about a potential departure of Ivan Rakitic as well, so Barcelona needs to act quickly. They need a proven midfielder who can win games and dictate the tempo of the squad in the middle of the field.
As we can see, Barcelona have plenty of needs but a striker is not one. Considering they need to find a new manager and several holes to fill all over the roster, they would be better suited to sign other players ahead of the 2017-18 campaign. Messi, Suarez, and Neymar are enough threat to any defense in the world.