Barcelona have completed their biggest deal to date during the January transfer window, signing Felan Torres from Manchester City for €65 million. La Liga giants are heavily indebted and financially difficult, but still find ways to complete the deal by offering small advances to the Premier League giants. Coutinho travelled to Aston Villa on loan, where Umtiti agreed to restructure his contract, freeing up some of the money and they were eventually eligible for registration by Torres. Xavi's squad remains weak, especially in the attacking area, and as Dembele prepares to leave in January, Barca need more recruits. Here are five players who could move to Camp Nou in January, with signing a new centre-forward is their biggest concern.
Frank Casey (AC Milan)
According to reports in Italy this week, Barcelona verbally agreed to sign Frank Casey as a free agent in the summer. The Milan midfielder's current contract expires in June 2022 and many of Europe's elite teams are watching him. Italian media revealed that no contract has been signed at the moment, but the deal may be struck soon. However, it is unlikely that Barcelona and Milan will reach an agreement to have Casey leave Milan for a symbolic fee in January, as the player did not play much after refusing to renew his contract with the Rossoneri.
Aubameyang (Arsenal)
Former Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been in contact with Barca for some time. At the very least, he was Arsenal's captain and until recently he was stripped of the captain's armband for ongoing disciplinary issues. Arteta then excluded him from the matchday squad altogether, with widespread expectations that he would leave in January. A move to Barcelona could be a good way out, but a stumbling block could be Aubameyang's promise to his grandfather before his death that he would one day play for Real Madrid. The Gabon international also had to return early from the Africa Cup of Nations due to a heart attack, so Barca will be very cautious about contact with Aubameyang because of the incident in Aguero.
Morata (Juventus – loaned from Atletico)
As for the centre forward position, Barcelona have reportedly listed Morata as their top target for January. Xavi is a big fan of the player and believes he can quickly integrate into camp Nou's squad as he has good relationships with some of Barca's players who are also members of the Spanish national team. Barca hope to persuade Juventus to terminate Morata's loan and then persuade Atletico to allow him to move to domestic rivals. It will be an 18-month loan, after which a permanent deal could be reached, and Morata's future could be tied to Griezmann's future, who is currently on loan from Barca to Atletico.
Icardi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Barcelona were desperately looking for a new centre-forward, which led them to turn their attention to Paris Saint-Germain's Icardi. This could be a protocol that works for everyone. After Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain, Icardi needed to restart his career, as his appearance at Paris Saint-Germain showed that he had almost been abandoned by the club. However, there are some problems with this, as Icardi is a former Barca player.
Agustin Alvarez (Penarol)
Agustin Alvarez is hailed as the new golden boy of Uruguayan football. The young striker has already made his debut for the Uruguayan national team and even scored in a match against Bolivia. In Uruguay's 2021 league, he scored 13 goals in 26 games, but he played even better in the Copa do Sul, scoring 10 goals in 14 games. Barcelona are interested and the player represents an interesting option as Alvarez will be a cheaper option than other targets.