Barcelona could be preparing for a busy summer as it’s reported that they could be eyeing up to five signings ahead of next season.
The Catalan giants successfully defended their La Liga crown last season, but the manner of their Champions League exit coupled with defeat in the Copa del Rey final were two huge red marks against the campaign.
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With that in mind, coach Ernesto Valverde will likely be hoping for reinforcements to arrive at the Nou Camp this summer, and as per reports in Spain, they have key areas in mind.
According to Mundo Deportivo, a left-back, two strikers and a central defender could arrive, with up to five signings being touted to bolster the squad in those departments.
It’s noted that exits could push Barcelona into making more additions, but time will tell how the summer plays out as they look to put themselves in a stronger position to compete on multiple fronts next season.
A new left-back would seem like a sensible idea to offer competition and depth alongside Jordi Alba, while the same could be said up front to alleviate some of the pressure off stalwart Luis Suarez’s shoulders moving forward.
Neither are getting any younger, and so perhaps adding long-term replacements to learn from them and gradually step in to replace them would be a sensible plan.
In contrast, Barcelona already have Gerard Pique, Clement Lenglet, Samuel Umtiti and Jean-Clair Todibo to play in the heart of the defence, and so perhaps one will have to leave first in order to bring in a new centre-half, with the report above noting that Ajax captain Matthijs de Ligt remains a top target.
Having already wrapped up a deal to sign Frenkie de Jong from the Eredivisie champions, as per BBC Sport, focusing on the defence and attack seems like a natural next step for Barcelona.
