5 attackers Barcelona should consider signing this summer

Last season, Barcelona ran away with the La Liga title. They had the league wrapped up with weeks still left to go, and they eventually finished 14 points clear of Atletico Madrid in second.

They have now won seven of the last ten league titles, an impressive record, especially with the likes of Real Madrid and Atletico in opposition. Last season, they came within two games of completing an unbeaten season. After a record 36 games undefeated, they lost 5-4 away at Levante in their penultimate match.

However, despite how easily they ran away with the title, this is a long way off the best team Barcelona have had in the past ten years. Last season, Denis Suarez, Paco Alcacer, Andre Gomes and Aleix Vidal all made at least 15 league appearances. None of those four would have been anywhere near the 2008/09 or 2010/11 squads.

In attacking areas, they still don’t look like they have fully recovered from the sale of Neymar to PSG. Ousmane Dembele moved to the club from Borussia Dortmund for an initial fee of over £100 million, but never really settled because of injury. Philippe Coutinho joined from Liverpool in January for around £135 million, but there have been surprising rumours this week that PSG are considering bidding nearly £250 million for his services.

They do have Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi at their disposal, but both are now over the age of 30, and their powers are dwindling. If they want to return to their former European glories, they will need to invest in more talented attacking players. Here are five men they should consider signing:

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#5 Paulo Dybala (Juventus)

In his three years at Juventus, Dybala has shown that he is a world-class talent. He has scored 52 league goals in just 98 matches for the Old Lady, as well as being a crucial part of three Serie A title-winning teams. However, it looks likely that Cristiano Ronaldo will soon be making a big money move to Juve, and Dybala could be the player that he replaces. The 24-year-old is certainly far too good to be sat on the bench.

He is still only young, so would be a long-term solution for Barcelona. He has the sort of ability that they are looking for in a player, and he would vastly improve the strength and depth in the squad. There is a chance that Juventus may be willing to sell Dybala, as with a combination of transfer and wages, the Ronaldo deal won’t be cheap, and they might be looking to raise funds.

#4 Anthony Martial (Manchester United)

Anthony Martial

It may be a bit of risk for Barcelona to move for Martial at this time, but if it works out, they will be getting a quality player. This is a player who hit rock bottom towards the end of last season, one in which he made just 18 Premier League starts. He has star quality though. He joined United three years ago and has scored 36 goals during his time with the club. He has been learning his trade in that time though, and he is still just 22, so has the potential to improve an awful lot in the coming years.

It seems likely that he will leave United this summer. His agent has said that he wishes to leave Old Trafford after falling out with Jose Mourinho, which subsequently led to him missing out on a place in France’s World Cup squad. He would offer Barcelona variety with his pace and finishing ability and can be deployed down the middle or on the wing. He would be an investment for Barcelona, but he could be worth it.

#3 Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

Eden Hazard

Hazard is probably the most complete player on this list. The 27-year-old has been at Chelsea for the last five years, so has developed into a top player, while learning about the pressures of performing at a top club. Unlike with most of the other players on this list, Hazard will not need time to get used to the pressures of playing for Barcelona or reaching the top of his game, because he is just about there already.

There have long been rumours that Hazard may make a move to Spain, and after Chelsea’s failure to qualify for the Champions League last season, now may be the time for him to leave Stamford Bridge. There is no doubt that he is good enough to play for Barcelona, and he would help create a pretty formidable front line.

#2 Mauro Icardi (Inter Milan)

Mauro Icardi

While the other players on this list play slightly deeper behind the striker, Icardi is an out-and-out goal scorer, and a superb one at that. He scored 29 Serie A goals last season in just 34 appearances, taking him to 100 league goals for Inter, a landmark he has reached in just 159 games. It was a baffling decision to see him left out of Argentina squad for this summer’s World Cup.

He will cost an awful lot of money to sign from Italy, but if Barcelona are looking for someone to provide the goals, they won’t find anyone better than Icardi to do that job. As a fellow Argentinian, it may also be a little bit easier for him to form a connection with Lionel Messi. It would be a surprise to see Barcelona make a move for Icardi, but he wouldn’t let them down if he did move to the Nou Camp.

#1 Hirving Lozano (PSV)

Hirving Lozano

The wildcard name on this list. Lozano burst onto the scene a couple of weeks ago with a superb performance against Germany in Mexico’s opening World Cup game, where he scored the winner. He is a bit different to anything Barcelona have got at the moment and doesn’t perfectly fit their style of play. He is much more direct with his running, but perhaps it may benefit them to have another option.

It shouldn’t be too much of a risk to bring Lozano to the club, simply down to the fee. His attitude has been bought into question in the past, but if he can pass that test, Barcelona will be getting a player with great potential. He would be the cheapest player on this list as well, so by signing him, they may still have funds to bring in someone else to further strengthen the attacking areas.