Barcelona could reportedly be forced to spend €25m if they wish for Alaves forward Lucas Perez to be the solution to their problems up front.
The Catalan giants have been dealt a major double injury blow over the past few weeks, as after Luis Suarez underwent knee surgery last month, Ousmane Dembele will undergo surgery on a hamstring injury next week.
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In turn, the pair are likely to be ruled out for a significant period of time and with Barcelona still competing for the La Liga title and the Champions League, it could be a real problem for coach Quique Setien in the coming months.
With that in mind, they could look to bring in a reinforcement to help them, and according to AS, they have targeted Perez as a possible solution.
However, there are two main potential obstacles standing in the way of any deal, as it’s firstly noted that it must be confirmed that Dembele is going to be sidelined for long enough for the La Liga regulations to allow Barcelona to make a signing outside of the transfer window.
Further, it’s suggested that Alaves will not offer any discount on their star man, as he has a €25m release clause in his current contract and they fully intend to receive that amount to green light an exit for the former Arsenal man.
The 31-year-old has scored nine goals and provided four assists in 22 league appearances so far this season, and so he could be a decent short-term solution for the reigning La Liga champions for the rest of the season.
However, it could be argued that splashing out €25m on him doesn’t make a great deal of sense, not only because Suarez and Dembele will be back next season, but also because that money could go towards a longer-term solution in the summer instead.
Time will tell what Barcelona decide, but the report above suggests that they will have to splash out if they do indeed think Perez is the perfect man for the job.