FC Barcelona have Arturo Vidal from Bayern Munich, Arthur from Gremio, Malcom from Bordeaux and Clement Lenglet from Sevilla in the summer transfer window. Ernesto Valverde’s side recently broke their slump in the LaLiga and won their first game in the league since September with an emphatic 4-2 win over Sevilla to go at the top of the table.
The Position of an understudy for Jordi Alba is vacant at the moment, replacements are also needed for Gerard Pique and Luis Suarez.
With the January transfer window coming closer, here are 5 players Barcelona could consider signing.
Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur)
Eric Dier seems to be the perfect man to fill in the position of an understudy of Sergio Busquets at the Nou Camp. Eric Dier has made 13 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring a goal in the process. He can operate as a defensive and a centre midfielder.
The 24-year-old averages 1.3 tackles per game. He also has an impressive pass success rate of 88.2% per game and averages 2.3 long balls per game. He is also a strong presence in the air, winning 1.2 aerial duels per game.
Ferland Mendy (Lyon)
Lyon’s Ferland Mendy has already caught the eyes of European giants. The highly-rated 23-year-old resembles Jordi Alba’s peculiar playing style in many ways.
Mendy has a pass success rate of 88.1% and makes 3.7 long passes per game. He also averages 1.1 aerial duels per game and makes 1.2 tackles per game. He is also an exquisite dribbler, making 1.9 dribbles per game down the left flank. The Frenchman is also blessed with a good vision – a statement backed by his average of 1.2 key passes per game. In contrast to Jordi Alba, he offers much more stability in the air.
Roberto Firmino (Liverpool)
Firmino is hailed by many as Liverpool’s Raumdeuter due to his playing style that is similar to Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller. The 27-year-old impressively averages 1.6 tackles per game despite being deployed as a striker. His ability to make tackles and win possession helps Liverpool in orchestrating quick counter-attacks in the opposition half itself.
The Brazilian is well-adept at holding on to the ball and bringing others into play. He also takes 1.5 shots per game.
Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig)
Dayot Upamecano is one of the brightest young stars in Europe. The 19-year-old is a strong presence in the air both during defence and attacks, winning 3.4 aerial duels per game.
He is also well-versed in providing adequate long-balls, making 3.3 long passes per game. A ball-playing defender who possesses an astute positional sense, Upamecano has an impressive average of winning 1.4 offsides per game. He is also an efficient ball winner and makes 1.9 successful interceptions per game.
Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich has started his career as a defensive midfielder but has excelled in the right-back role after shifting his position. He is arguably the best young right-back in the world right now.
The 23-year-old has a pass success rate of 90.9% per game and makes 1.4 tackles per game. He is excellent going forward and makes 1.8 key passes per game. He is also an exceptional crosser of the ball, notching an average of 1.4 crosses per game.
