Newly-appointed Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has asked the club to secure the services of Al Sadd forward Baghdad Bounedjah.
According to a report from Fichajes, FC Barcelona could soon be in the market for Baghdad Bounedjah. The Algerian striker plies his trade with Xavi’s former club, Al Sadd and is a favourite of the new Barcelona coach, who is eyeing an ambitious reunion at Camp Nou in January.
After replacing Ronald Koeman as the Barcelona manager earlier in the month, it appears Xavi has already started the groundwork for his new-look team. He had reportedly played a vital role in convincing the club to re-sign former superstar Dani Alves, who is set to return to the Nou Camp in January.
After Alves, it appears Xavi is eyeing another reunion in the form of Baghdad Bounedjah. The Algerian forward shares a good relationship with the Barcelona boss from their time together at Al-Sadd. Under the Spaniard, he was one of the top performers in the Qatari League, even emerging as the league’s top-scorer last season.
His 21 goals in just 19 appearances helped the club win the Qatari Championship last term. And overall, the striker has a stellar record under Xavi, scoring 62 goals in 75 competitive outings while chipping in with 24 assists.
Despite his incredible numbers for Al-Sadd, though, Xavi’s request to sign Bounedjah has raised many eyebrows in the Barcelona camp. It appears there is a general doubt brewing over the Algerian’s credentials due to the gulf in difference between the Stars League and La Liga, which is one of the top five leagues in European football.
Bounedjah, for one, has never played in Europe, raising further doubts on whether or not he can emulate his performances in the Spanish top-flight. The 29-year-old, though, could be an excellent cost-effective replacement for Luuk de Jong, who has been asked to leave Barcelona in the upcoming January transfer window.
From a sporting perspective, Bounedjah could prove to be a useful alternative for Memphis Depay and Sergio Aguero, whose heart issue may have serious consequences for his footballing career.
In addition to the Algerian forward, it won’t be surprising to see Barcelona eyeing further reinforcements in the attacking department. They are among the clubs in contention to sign emerging German forward Karim Adeyemi while the Catalans are reportedly closing in on the capture of Raheem Sterling.
