Three completely different players in terms of type and age.
Barcelona has identified potential signings to boost their attack in the summer transfer window. According to Relevo, in addition to the return of Lionel Messi from PSG, the La Liga leader is considering three more candidates - Yannick Ferreira Carrasco from Atlético Madrid, Vitor Roque from Atlético Paranaense and loaned to Osasuna Abde Ezzalzouli. Each story has its pros and cons. The choice of the leaders of the Catalan club will be influenced not only by the level of the player but, of course, financial conditions. Everyone knows about the situation with Messi, but what about the rest of the players?
Yannick Ferreira Carrasco: could provoke the sale of Fati
Barcelona received a €15-20m buyout option for Carrasco when they sold Memphis Depay to Atlético during the winter transfer window. Perhaps the Catalan club will exercise this right in the summer of 2023. According to rumors, the Belgian wanted to move to Barca in January, when his exchange for the Dutch striker was discussed but was not eager to reduce wages under a new contract.
However, Carrasco is not the figure that inspires blue garnet fans. The 29-year-old Belgian is no longer young and has never stood out with crazy performance: 33 + 29 in 185 matches Examples. He only sometimes plays the role of an attack group player. Yannick played in all positions during his career except for the central defender. Universalism is his additional trump card, as is the ability to drag the ball through dribbling. This season of the championship of Spain, he is second in Atlético in created scoring chances (23) and dribbles (52 beats in 91 attempts), third in shots - 41 (on target - 14).
Barcelona may still be able to bring down the price of Carrasco since the Belgian's contract with Atlético ends in the summer of 2024. According to information from El Nacional, Xavi is convinced that Yannick will fit perfectly into the team's tactical schemes. Meanwhile, the signing of Carrasco could lead to the sale of Ansu Fati because the budget of Barca is not rubber.
Vitor Roque: a too-expensive talent for Barcelona
The 18-year-old Brazilian is one of the most talented strikers in the new generation of world football. Vitor Roque is still playing for Atlético Paranaense, but there is no doubt that he will move to Europe in the summer of 2023. The top clubs are chasing this guy, so Barcelona must withstand intense competition. Vitor Roque became the star of the U20 South American Championship held in January-February, where he won the trophy with the team and the top scorer award - he scored six goals in eight matches. Moreover, in March, the young striker debuted in Brazil's first team, playing for half an hour for an experimental squad in a friendly against Morocco.
Recently, Vitor Roque admitted that he was aware of the interest of Barcelona and called a transfer to this club his dream. However, Atletico Paranaense demanded too much for the striker - € 50 million. The Catalan club will not pay so much. Yet the Brazilian is just beginning his ascent in adult football. In Serie A, the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Libertadores, he played only 39 matches, scoring 10 goals and making three assists.
In the 2022 season, Vitor Roque played 1943 minutes in the Brazilian Serie A and Copa Libertadores. The amount of time was only thirteenth in the team. Nevertheless, he became second in the number of scoring chances (27) and shots on target (23, and in total - 45 shots) and third in created opportunities (16). The striker made 39 successful dribbles in 88 attempts. Sometimes he acted on the flank of the attack. According to Mundo Deportivo, recently, the father of Vitor Roque met with the bosses of Barcelona and promised that the family would reject offers from other clubs. He suggested that sporting director Jordi Cruyff negotiate with Atlético Paranaense on an installment plan for his son's transfer.
Abde Ezzalzouli: economy option with low performance
The Moroccan winger's return from the loan is an economical option. The head coach of the blue garnets is well acquainted with this 21-year-old player, who established himself in the Barcelona first team precisely under Xavi in the fall of 2021. In that season, Ezzalzouli played 12 matches in all tournaments (he went to the base seven times) and made one productive action - he scored a goal for Osasuna.
Last summer, Abda was loaned to Osasuna. The club's leadership from Pamplona remembered the winger's goal so much that the Basques won the competition for this player. But even in Osasuna, the Moroccan plays irregularly. Ezzalzouli has made 20 appearances in La Liga until this Saturday and has only made 12 appearances since the opening minutes. He scored a single goal (Sevilla) and gave a couple of assists. But in the Spanish Cup, he differed more often: two goals in five games. His accurate shots against Sevilla in the quarter-finals and Athletic in the semi-finals helped the Pamplonians make it to the final, where they will compete for the trophy with Real Madrid.
In the Example and the Cup of the country, Ezzalzouli has 17 scoring chances, 32 shots (only 9 on target), 16 created chances, and the most dribble attempts in Osasuna - 132 (80 successful). In terms of dribbling, he excels. Recall that having the opportunity to choose between the national teams of Spain and Morocco, Abde refused to play for the team of his historical homeland. Still, before the 2022 World Cup, he accepted the Moroccan offer. At the tournament in Qatar, he played three matches but did not take practical action. Today, Ezzalzouli is more of an undiscovered talent, and in a different financial situation, Barca would prefer to sell him rather than return him from the loan.
Any of these three players can benefit Barcelona in some matches or the distance of the championship of Spain. And only Messi could make a difference throughout the season, even at almost 36 years old.
10.04.2023