5 Ligue 1 stars who would make Barcelona a better team

Barcelona have a long history of looking to France for their playing talent. As early as 1902, Rene Victor Fernouillere became the first Frenchman to pull on the club’s famous shirt and since then numerous have followed.

Over recent years, the appeal to looking at Ligue 1 has grown, with Le Championnat the outstanding breeding ground for producing young talent in Europe – both those of French birth but also those of foreign extraction.

Ousmane Dembele, Samuel Umtiti and Lucas Digne are all currently defending the club’s colours having come through the ranks in France, for example.

Here are five more stars who Barcelona would be well served to look at in the coming months.

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#5 Joris Gnagnon (Rennes)

Although Barcelona are largely associated with exciting, attacking football, they need defenders, too, and Rennes star Joris Gnagnon is a hugely promising player at centre-back. He is only 20, but already has a wealth of experience under his belt in Ligue 1, having played nearly 50 times in the top flight already.

After initially breaking into the team due to injuries and selection problems, Gnagnon has established himself as a regular member of Christian Gourcuff’s starting XI and is a capable player in possession – just as Barcelona demand. He is already treated as a leader and is a young man with the potential to go all the way to the top.

#4 Ismaila Sarr (Rennes)

Ismaila Sarr

Presently out long-term after sustaining an injury in September, Ismaila Sarr actually turned down the opportunity to sign for Barcelona this summer, claiming that he felt he would lack the game time he required to develop at Camp Nou.

Sarr, however, is one of the outstanding young talents in France, having been touted as the next Sadio Mane. He has come through a similar path as the Liverpool star and offers many of the same attributes, combining hard running down the wing with powerful attacking play.

In his debut campaign with Metz, he scored five goals to keep his side in Ligue 1 – a terrific feat for a player who will not celebrate his 20th birthday until next February. He is one Barca will certainly continue to monitor.

#3 Jean Michael Seri (Nice)

Jean Michael Seri

Xavi has described Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri as a player who has “Barcelona DNA”. Indeed, the Ivory Coast international player, who has been compared to N’Golo Kante due to his short stature and incredible industry, has been touted by many as a replacement for the former Barca great.

Comparisons with Kante are rather unfair, as Seri is a much more attack-minded player, having modelled his game on Xavi. His ability to spot reverse passes is outstanding, and combined with the movement of the Barca front three, he could be a potentially devastating creative addition to the side.

#2 Maxime Lopez (Marseille)

Maxime Lopez

It has been a difficult campaign for Maxime Lopez so far, but the young Marseille midfielder is a player capable of attaining great heights. In a true Barcelona style, he is a player comfortable in possession and enjoys picking out passes for team-mates in tight spaces. He is extremely technical and, at his best, a joy to watch.

OM believe that they have their greatest natural talent since Samir Nasri exploded through their ranks around a decade ago, but the youngster has lost confidence in recent weeks and has dropped back to the bench. This blip is unlikely to be terminal, and Barcelona must be keeping a close eye on his progress.

#1 Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain)

Marco Verratti

PSG’s midfield fulcrum has all but admitted that he was hunted by Barcelona last summer only to reject the move because of the French side’s renewed ambition in the transfer market over the course of the summer.

Verratti could be a perfect Barcelona player, oozing technical ability and the type of figure who loves to be in possession of the football. But he is not merely an artist. He is a willing defender, and even if his tackling remains something of a weak point, leading to many yellow cards, he would still be a formidable presence for the Catalans.

Prising him away from the Parc des Princes side, however, looks an impossible task in the months ahead.