With Barcelona currently serving a transfer ban, the team has to make do with the current team that they have and at best recall those players that they sent out on loan. They will once again be allowed to sign players in the January transfer window of 2016. However, it does not mean that they cannot agree to deals with clubs and sign contracts with players as long as they dona t register them until January 2016. While that is against the spirit of the law, it is not illegal under interpretation of the letter of the law.
Therefore, in anticipation of getting players they need for the next season, Barcelona should be looking for players they can sign even if it means they can only join in the January of next season. Here are a few players that they should consider looking at, considering the state of the squad they have presently.
Marco Reus
One of the first players that comes to mind for any club wanting to sign a talented midfielder in the prime of his career is Marco Reus. For quite some time now, there have been rumours that Barcelona and Reus have agreed on personal terms and it is only with Dortmund the club is having a problem agreeing on a fee with. However, the transfer ban has come at an inopportune time for all parties involved, with Reus contract coming to an end in the summer. And so, his contract extension with the German club could actually be a blessing in disguise for Barcelona, as they can start negotiations without worrying too much about losing the player to another club. Reus would be an excellent addition to the Barcelona first team as he can team up with 3 of the best attacking players on the planet in the form of Messi, Neymar and Suarez.
Juan Mata
Another midfielder that Barcelona should look to sign would be Manchester Uniteda s Juan Mata. Being a first team player for Spain and having graduated from Real Madrida s youth academy, Mata would be an easy fit for Barcelona and can slot into the midfield without too much of a problem. While it is not normal for players from Madrid to move to Barcelona, it would not be too difficult to convince Mata to return to Spain, especially he is not having the best time at Manchester United. With the Xavi and Iniesta partnership coming to an end for Barcelona, Ivan Rakitic seems to have taken up the mantle of Xavi, and Mata could be groomed to replace Iniesta in the near future.
Marquinhos and Jan Vertonghen
Perhaps the biggest fixing that Barcelona needs is the central defence. While the signing of Thomas Vermaelen was made to boost the defence, his injury has not helped the cause of the Blaugrana. With Gerard Pique also increasingly succumbing to injuries, and only Javier Mascherano the experienced defender in the club, there is a need to shore up the defence with some more signings. It also is increasingly looking likely that Dani Alves will not extend his contract with the club. Marquinhos from PSG and Jan Vertonghen from Tottenham Hotspur are two very good options that Barcelona can look at. Marquinhos may still be a very young player, but he has already shown how good he can be. Vertonghen, on the other hand, is an experienced player, and is also a leader on the field. He would be a player that can take charge of the defensive side of the club, much like Carles Puyol did during his time.
Of course, one of the major stumbling blocks for any signings to be made would be the need for these players to not participate in the Champions League until January, when they can actually move to Barcelona. Whether any of the players would be willing to do that is a question that can be answered only when the time comes.
