Barcelona plan to bring in a striker before the January window closes on Monday. Having faced difficulties to sign Atlético Madrid’s Álvaro Morata, who is on loan at Juventus, the focus has been shifted to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The forward has been frozen out at Arsenal and has not been considered for selection by Mikel Arteta since the start of December.
On Friday, Mundo Deportivo stated the 32-year-old ‘overtakes’ Morata and the operation to take him to the Catalan club is ‘advanced’. Marca then stated there is a ‘real possibility’ for him to leave the Emirates this month.
Sport on Saturday state Barca have ‘discarded’ the Morata option and have ‘decided to advance’ the option to sign the Gabon international.
Xavi Hernández has asked the La Liga side to bring in a new striker, for which Aubameyang is ‘chosen one’, and a left-back. The ex-Borussia Dortmund man, who is now out of Arteta’s plans, has asked the Gunners to let him leave the north London club in the winter market.
However, the Arsenal attacker’s arrival depends on Ousmane Dembélé leaving Barca in the coming days. The winger’s contract expires in June and after refusing to sign an extension, he has been asked to leave the club.
Dembélé’s ‘situation is still stuck’, but if the Frenchman were to move out of Barca, then their sporting leaders will move quickly to close deals to sign a striker and a left-back.
