Barcelona are always likely to be surrounded by transfer speculation, but following a season-ending injury to key midfielder Gavi, their January plans have been thrown in the air.
Sporting Director Deco has publicly said that there was no point in looking for a replacement for Gavi because they would not find anything similar on the market. No doubt Xavi Hernandez would still rather strengthen his squad if the opportunity to do so is available.
It emerged on Wednesday evening that La Liga would permit Barcelona to register Vitor Roque, who is to join the Blaugrana next summer for €30m plus €31m in variables without beginning to pay the transfer fee, and thus making him impossible to register.
Meanwhile Giovani Lo Celso has emerged as the chief candidate to come in and soften the blow of Gavi’s absence, although reports in England say that Tottenham Hotspur are not open to a deal. The Blaugrana have 80% of Gavi’s wages to spend on any replacement until the end of the season.
There is a slim chance Barcelona could bring in both Roque and a midfielder, say MD, but that chance is riding on Barcelona being able to find an investor to stump up the €40m that Libero have so far not done so for their 9.8% share of Barca Studios.
However it is a decision Barcelona must make before January rolls around. The extra allowance to replace a player who is injured long-term is only available for 30 days after the injury, meaning that the Blaugrana have until Tuesday the 19th of December to make that decision.
Barcelona are undoubtedly short of resources, but there is a strong argument to say that midfield is not their most pressing need. In Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Ilkay Gundogan, Fermin Lopez, Oriol Romeu and Sergi Roberto, they have a number of options, whereas Robert Lewandowski and Joao Cancelo have no natural replacements in their positions. Recruiting Lo Celso or any other midfielder would be a sign that Xavi does not fully trust Roberto, Romeu and Lopez.
