?Once again, Barcelona are on the lookout for a line-leading striker in January, with Luis Suarez’s injury expediting the need for options.
According to reports, the club are desperate not to repeat the mistakes of Kevin-Prince Boateng, the now Fiorentina forward who joined on loan for half a season only to make four appearances in all competitions and score a total of zero goals last season.
Suarez – who looks to be out for the season after undergoing surgery for knee ligament damage – has previously spoken of the need for ?Barça to find his eventual successor, while ?Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, Timo Werner and Lautaro Martinez have all been linked as high-profile options. Although all are more likely summer targets.
El Barça sólo fichará a un 9 titular y asequible a nivel económico. No repetirán un caso Boateng. Fuentes del Arsenal nos dicen: “Aubameyang imposible”. Rodrigo gusta pero el Valencia le valora en 50ME. Lautaro asumen que el Inter no vende en invierno. @ESPORTSCOPE @deportescope
— Helena Condis Edo (@HelenaCondis) January 21, 2020
??According to COPE journalist Helena Condis, however, Aubameyang is seen as ‘impossible’, while Barça are looking at ‘economical’ options this January.
She claims the Blaugrana ‘like’ Rodrigo Moreno, the 28-year-old Brazil-born Spain international currently at Valencia.
The versatile forward has just two goals in La Liga this season, but eight in all competitions, while he scored the winner in the famous Copa del Rey final win over Barça last season.
While Rodrigo has been linked with Barcelona in the past, Condis notes that Valencia value their striker at €50m (£42.5m), which probably doesn’t fit the ‘economical’ remit.
However, transfer guru ?Gianluca Di Marzio also mentions Rodrigo’s name as being on Barça’s shortlist, suggesting that the player’s agent Jorge Mendes has already arrived in Spain to negotiate a deal.
The report claims Barça could look to offer up one of their own stars in a part-exchange, which would presumably bring down the price of Rodrigo. However, it is not suggested which player, if any would be of interest to Valencia.
Di Marzio’s piece also claims that Barcelona are currently in negotiations to arrange a deal that would see Ivan Rakitic move to Juventus in exchange for Federico Bernardeschi.
Let’