Barcelona look at strikers: Chicharito, Llorente, Gómez, Ighalo, Sanabria, Batsuyashi

The Catalans are looking for a forward to help them win the Champions League

FC Barcelona are looking for a short-term replacement for the departed Munir. The Catalans reportedly feel that after their backup striker joined Sevilla, they must act to snap up a forward if they want to have the required depth to win the UEFA Champions League.

The problem is the team does not want to allocate a lot of funds for the transfer, so the player must come at a low cost, possibly on loan.

Chelsea’s Álvaro Morata has been linked most often with joining Barcelona, but Diario SPORT reports on a short list of strikers that could join Barcelona. They are:

Javier “Chicharito” Hernández

Age: 30

Height: 5’9”

Current team: West Ham

Chicharito has been linked with a loan move to La Liga, particularly with Valencia. But, Manuel Pellegrini may not want to let the former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward go. The Mexican is renowned for his poaching ability and acceleration. Would he become one of the very few players to have played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid? And is his poaching style a good fit for the Catalans?

Fernando Llorente

Age: 33

Current team: Tottenham Hotspur

Height: 6’5”

He doesn’t play much for Spurs, so the former Athletic Bilbao striker is keen on a move to La Liga. Due to his height, the FIFA World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012 winner would give Barça a different option in attack. The oldest striker on the list, does he still have something left to contribute to another important trophy-winning campaign?

Maxi Gómez

Age: 22

Current team: Celta Vigo

Height: 6’1”

The youngest option on the list, the Celta Vigo forward presents an option for the future as well as the present. Seen by some as Luis Suárez’s successor for Uruguay, Gómez is known for his workrate and strength. But would Celta really part with him midseason? Barcelona are keeping tabs on him, but it may not be for this season. Although, recently, the forward was spotted in the city of Barcelona. Just a tourist visit, or something more?

Odion Ighalo

Age: 29

Height: 6’2”

Current team: Changchun Yatai

The former Granada and Watford forward now plays in China, but he’s not too old yet. Barcelona showed last season they could successfully jump-start careers long assumed dead when they brought Paulinho over from China. Could they do the same with the pacy Nigerian international? Or is he far off the standard? Whatever the case, the player himself retweeted a rumor that he was linked with a move to the Camp Nou. It seems he’s flattered by the idea.

Tonny Sanabria

Age: 22

Height: 5’11”

Current team: Real Betis

Just a few months older than Gómez, Sanabria also represents an option for the future. A former Barcelona B player, he has played for Sassuolo, AS Roma, and Sporting Gijón. The Paraguayan doesn’t always start for Betis, although he does get his chances. He has scored two goals in his last three games, in which he played every minute bar two. Perhaps that is a sign that he may not leave, although Betis may part with him considering the options they have in attack and their good relationship with Barcelona. He’s known for his pace, agility, and finishing.

Michy Batshuayi

Age: 25

Height: 6’11”

Current team: Valencia (on loan from Chelsea)

Batshuayi has not settled in well at Valencia, and los che are looking to offload him after just half a season and bring in Chicharito. But the 25-year-old has a good record for Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund. He only has one goal to his name this season, which goes against his reputation of a pure scorer. Can he re-ignite his form at Barcelona, or is La Liga just not the right scenery for him? If he’s not scoring, he will be hard to justify on the team given his relative lack of associative play for a Barcelona standard.

Source: barcablaugranes.com