Luis Suarez has been on fire ever since he completed his almost £65 million move to Barcelona from Liverpool 3 seasons ago. The Uruguayan has scored 121 goals for the Catalan giants during this time, with 2015/16 being his best and most productive season, when he notched up 59 goals in 53 appearances.
However, despite getting the goals last season, the Uruguayan is on the decline and it is visible in his game. The 30-year-old plundered 37 goals for the Camp Nou outfit last season along with 20 assists and was Barcelona’s second highest scorer – only behind Lionel Messi.
But stats don’t always tell you the complete story and there is no denying that the Uruguayan is still a good goalscorer but his levels have surely dropped as he struggles to get into his groove in the big games, missing various key chances, suggesting that there has been a drop in confidence in his game. The fact that he is already 30 and is not getting younger add to the woes of the Catalan side.
Barcelona had a disappointing last season having been pipped to the La Liga title by Real Madrid, while also getting knocked out of the UEFA Champions League in the quarter-finals. The Camp Nou outfit need a squad overhaul to once again establish themselves as one of the best clubs in the world and while Ernesto Valverde’s side are targeting players to improve other areas of their attack, they probably also need to look at their #9 position.
So without further gilding the Lily, here are 5 players who can replace Luis Suarez at Barcelona:
#5 Andrea Belotti
Andrea Belotti has been heavily linked with a move away from Torino after a breakthrough season with the Turin outfit, which saw him score 28 goals, 26 out of which came in the Serie A. The Italian has established himself as the complete striker and will be the ideal replacement for Luis Suarez at Barcelona.
Not only is the 23-year-old just good with his right foot, he is equally adept with his left and with headers, highlighting no obvious weaknesses in his game. Not only that, his tall frame and good upper body strength allow him to hold off defenders and the meanest of defenses.
Belotti still has to prove himself on the top level as just one good season doesn’t cement a striker’s position as an elite one and he needs to have another prolific season this term, if he does not move to a bigger club. Barcelona would be wise to snap up the Italian striker before he makes a move to top European side as any hopes of signing him will fade with that.
#4 Paulo Dybala
Paulo Dybala may not be the ideal like-for-like replacement for Luis Suarez but he is a proven match-winner who is destined to become one of the best in the footballing world in the coming years. The 23-year-old almost single-handedly knocked out Barcelona from the UEFA Champions League after netting a brace in the first-leg at Turin.
Dybala has often been hailed as Lionel Messi’s successor for Argentina and there is no reason why he can thrive alongside the 5-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Even newly appointed La Albiceleste manager, Leonardo Jardim, has approved of their partnership and believes that the two fleet-footed geniuses can compliment each other. Speaking in an interview, Jardim said:
"Dybala has a high level and what stands out is his inventiveness. It would be good for him to be complementary with Messi." ~ Leonardo Jardim
As already stated, Dybala is hardly the ideal replacement for Suarez, as he prefers to create chances for his teammates and relishes in the #10 role. His goalscoring numbers are also average if compared to some top marksman and fade in comparison to Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo but given his young age, it can be attributed to being a part of his learning curve.
The 23-year-old can form part of a fluid front three for Barcelona, alongside Messi and Neymar, where the three continuously keep changing positions and become a nightmare for defenders. With their skills, trickery and pace, they have the required ingredients to become an even lethal front three than MSN. The Argentine was heavily linked with a move to either Real Madrid or Barcelona earlier in the summer before he signed a long-term extension with the Old Lady but that is not the last we will hear of the Spanish giants’ interest in him.
#3 Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona’s arch-rivals Real Madrid, with some outlets even reporting that the Santiago Bernabeu outfit had a world-record €130 million bid rejected for his services by Monaco.
The 18-year-old has established himself as one of the hottest prospects in all of Europe, having dazzled the footballing world with his speed, trickery and an apetite for goals at such a young age. Some have even gone as far as claiming that the last time any player was this good at 18 years of age, he turned out to be Lionel Messi.
Mbappe notched up 26 goals for Monaco across all competitions last seasons along with 14 assists, despite featuring only sporadically for the first part of the season. There is no doubt that Mbappe is destined for greatness and probably Luis Suarez is one of the reasons why the Catalan giants are not interested in his services. The other reason being, addressing more pressing concerns like the signing of a right-back and a world-class midfielder.
It will be a huge mistake if Barcelona do not pursue the Frenchman and especially if he moves to their arch-rivals Real Madrid, considering he has his entire footballing career ahead of him.
#2 Thomas Muller
Thomas Muller’s stock has fallen drastically over the last year – which started with him having a shocker of a Euro 2016. The German striker has struggled for goals this season, returning his worst ever tally since he broke into the first-team in the 2009/10 season.
The 26-year-old only scored 9 goals during the course of the tournament while setting up another 17 for his teammates. His numbers don’t point towards greatness and to be honest, pale in comparison to Suarez but numbers don’t always tell the complete story.
Muller has been played across many positions by Bayern Munich last season, many times in a position which does not necessarily get the best out of him. The 26-year-old has fallen down the pecking order behind Robert Lewandowski – who has cemented his place as the best striker in the world at the moment. However, what Muller brings to the table is something that probably no other player in the world does – unpredictability.
As was aptly summed by Uli Hesse in an interview of the German enigma for Eight by Eight magazine, wherein he wrote: “Thomas Müller can’t beat you with his close ball control. He can’t beat you with his pace. And he can’t beat you with his dribbling skills. He just beats you.”
There is no single facet of Muller’s game which stands out but he just happens to be at the right place at the right time to score a crucial goal and is being wasted at Bayern Munich. With Suarez on the decline, it is time for Barcelona to look forward and maybe Muller can be the unorthodox forward who can usher in a new era at Camp Nou. Maybe all the German assassin needs is a change of scenery to get back to his best. It is a big gamble but one certainly worth the punt.
#1 Antoine Griezmann
A move from Atletico Madrid to Barcelona will not be without its own share of controversies but Antoine Griezmann is a player worth every bit the hassle. The Frenchman has made a name for himself as a big game player and although he hasn’t had the best of last 12 or 14 months, individually or collectively, there is no denying the quality he possesses.
The 26-year-old suffered a heart-break in the UEFA Champions League final of 2015/16, as Real Madrid beat Diego Simeone’s side to win La Undecima. Then, he had endure another heartbreak with France at UEFA Euro 2016 in front of his home crowd, as they stumbled at the last hurdle and were beaten by Portugal in the final. The Frenchman then finished third, behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the FIFA Best Player race in January. However, that was not all.
Atleti once again faced Real Madrid in the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League last season, and as has been the case in the recent past, were once again on the losing side, while also finishing 3rd in the league. The lack of success with the Vicente Calderon outfit saw rumours of Griezmann wanting to quit the club grow and Manchester United were the most likely destination and if not for Atletico’s transfer ban, who knows the Frenchman may have been plying his trade in England.
However, the 26-year-old has extended his contract with the Vicente Calderon outfit and if not now, a move away from Atletico in the upcoming transfer windows is very much possible. Barcelona should pounce on any opportunity to sign Griezmann, who notched up 26 goals while also assisting another 12 across all competitions last season.
