'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Barcelona have had a summer to forget, headlined by the loss of Lionel Messi. The Blaugrana are looking at options to strengthen their attack following the departure of the Argentine and appear to have come up with a rather bizarre one.
According to reports, the Catalan giants are preparing a swoop for Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette. They are convinced they will find solutions to lure the Frenchman to Camp Nou before the transfer window shuts at the end of the month.
Trending
The report mentions that Barcelona have made the signing of a new forward a necessity not just due to Messi's absence, but also because of Sergio Aguero's recent injury.
It is worth noting that the Blaugrana won't be able to count on Aguero for the first few months of the season. The striker picked up a calf injury earlier this week and will be on the sidelines until late October.
Meanwhile, Alexandre Lacazette continues to be linked with a move away from Arsenal this summer. The Frenchman joined the Gunners in 2017 and and he's gone forward to bag 65 goals and 28 assists for the club in 170 appearances across four years.
Do Barcelona really need Lacazette?
Barcelona's reported interest in Lacazette is quite surprising. Even though the Blaugrana suffered big losses from Lionel Messi's move to Paris Saint-Germain and Sergio Aguero's injury, they still have elite attackers in the squad who can step up and make a difference in attack.
Memphis Depay, Antoine Griezmann and Martin Braithwaite have all returned from the Euros in great form. The Catalan giants have also been boosted by the return of Philippe Coutinho and Ansu Fati. Youngsters such as Alex Collado and Yusuf Demir impressed during the pre-season tour and deserve a chance next season.
Another factor to consider is the club's terrible economic situation at the moment. Barcelona are still battling to reduce their wage bill to abide by La Liga's wage cap policy and that has proved to be a tough nut to crack so far. The Catalans stand the risk of not being able to register their summer signings for the season if they fail to comply before the deadline.
