Most Barcelona fans are hopeful that the team will be back in their former stride when they dominated Spain and Europe. The return of club legend Xavi has ignited a fire that the glory days are around the corner.
Xavi should bring back the traditional Barcelona style and win big things with it. In football, things don’t work like in mystics. No manager has a magic wand to pull a rabbit out of the hat. Work has to be done with proper materials to get the team back to the top. Within appropriate materials lies Barcelona’s problem. Their financial situation means they can’t bid for top-level players. The cost will be inhibitive, with the Catalan side working within tight restrictions.
Xavi is, however, hopeful that Barcelona can drag some players across the line as they look to fortify their ailing squad. A few players have caught the eye of the former Al Sadd manager in the January transfer window. How Barcelona plotted to pull not one but two rabbits out of the hat is a mystery.
Ziyech and Werner are in the frame as Sterling alternative
Since the return of Xavi to Barcelona, the team has not lost any game, but the results are far fromal. It seems that creating chances has become an arduous task for Los Blaugrana. In the two games under Xavi, they have managed just one goal that came via a penalty. The positive from the two games is that the team managed to keep clean sheets.
Xavi wants improvements and is looking to bring in a couple of players to the team in January. ESPN reports that Barcelona is on the lookout for quality players struggling to get into the side at their various clubs.
Raheem Sterling is the main target for Barcelona as they look to beef up the attack, but it is looking unlikely that the club would be able to pull it off. Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner are alternatives if they fail to land the Manchester City star.
Sterling looks like a bridge too far
Raheem Sterling had indicated an interest in leaving Manchester City amid a reduced role in the side following the arrival of Jack Grealish. The English international is held in high esteem at Barcelona, with City valuing the player at £45million.
Barcelona remain in a financial situation that makes a loan deal the only viable option. With Sterling playing a prominent role in the defeat of PSG on Wednesday, the lights have begun to dim for Barcelona.
Ziyech and Werner have emerged as options as they have fallen down the pecking order at Chelsea. The Catalans are also monitoring the contract situation of Cesar Azpilicueta, whose deal with Chelsea expires next summer.
Xavi hopes to sign attacking players within his limited budget and sell players who are not in the club’s long term plans.
By :
Steven D. Thompson
