Barcelona need to rejuvenate their forward line when the transfer window reopens, with at least one new striker likely to move to the Camp Nou this summer.
The club’s controversial signing of Martin Braithwaite as an ‘emergency transfer’ in February highlighted the lack of long-term planning at the Catalan giants.
Young forwards Carles Perez (Roma) and Abel Ruiz (Braga) were both allowed to leave in January, leaving the club’s forward ranks diminished.
Reports have linked the Denmark international with an exit this summer, while there are question marks over the future of several others in the squad. Luis Suarez is now aged 33 and recovering from a four-month injury layoff.
Ousmane Dembele has consistently suffered muscular injury setbacks since his arrival three years ago, while Philippe Coutinho - currently on loan at Bayern Munich - will likely be sold permanently this summer.
That leaves only Antoine Griezmann - who has at times struggled to replicate his Atletico de Madrid form - and Lionel Messi, himself now aged 32.
But the Blaugrana desperately require directness and decisiveness in the final third, which has made Arsenal captain and key striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang a target.
A report in Diario Sport outlined how Aubameyang is willing to force a summer move to Barcelona if the Gunners were to block any approaches, with the North London club said to value a move at £50m.
The Gabonese striker is out of contract in 2021 so Arsenal may be tempted to cash-in on him rather than risk losing him on a free transfer - as happened with Aaron Ramsey last year.
Aubameyang has been prolific for Arsenal since his January 2018 switch from the Bundesliga, scoring 61 goals in 96 appearances and the reports say Barcelona met with the 30-year-old’s representatives back in January when they became aware of a long-term injury to Suarez.
That was an attempt to put the framework in place for a move in summer.
Diario Sport also recently reported on Barcelona’s interest in Aubameyang but stated that while he always preferred a move to Real Madrid, his intention is to play in Spain and would be open to a move to the Camp Nou.
Going back to December, El Mundo Deportivo cited a report from British journalist Duncan Castles, who claims representatives of both Madrid and Arsenal have held talks about a swap deal including out-of-favour Los Blancos striker Luka Jovic for Gunners hitman Aubameyang.
The Serbian striker has been a fringe player in the Spanish capital since joining from Eintracht Frankfurt last year, with Arsenal among the Premier League clubs rumoured to hold an interest in his signing.
However, while the Gunners skipper appears to be on Barca’s radar, he does not seem to be their number one target. That honour belongs to Inter striker Lautaro Martinez.
The Argentine international has netted 16 goals in 30 appearances for Antonio Conte’s side this campaign and has particularly impressed in European competition, scoring five in six outings in the Champions League.
Indeed, a report in El Mundo Deportivo on Thursday said that the Spanish champions wanted to sign both Martinez (the ‘priority’) and launch an audacious move for Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar (the ‘strategic signing’).
With this in mind, it appears that any move Barcelona make for Aubameyang will only be after they have attempted to land their priority targets. The Arsenal striker appears to be a Plan B.
Paris Saint-Germain and even Manchester United have been linked with a move for the former Borussia Dortmund hitman, and regardless of Barcelona’s intentions - if Aubameyang does not renew his contract in the coming months at the Emirates, the club could lose both the player and a significant financial windfall.
