Barcelona are reportedly having second thoughts about launching the offensive for 23-year-old Brazilian striker Arthur Cabral in January.
According to a report by Spanish publication SPORT, Barcelona are reconsidering the possibility of lodging an offer for Arthur Cabral in the January transfer window. The Catalan giants are not entirely convinced by his qualities, with a move for the 23-year-old FC Basel striker on standby.
Arthur Cabral has become one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe on the back of a stunning start to the 2021/22 season. The Brazilian forward joined FC Basel from Palmeiras on an initial loan deal in 2019 before moving permanently to the Swiss club a year later.
The 23-year-old has amassed 25 goals and eight assists in 27 appearances in all competitions in the ongoing season. The player’s exploits have not gone unnoticed, with some of the biggest clubs in Europe, including Barcelona, setting their sights on him over a possible January move.
The interest from Barcelona is understandable, considering their struggles in the final third this season. The Catalan giants have failed to score goals consistently, especially with Memphis Depay petering out after a strong start to his spell with the club.
The absence of a reliable striker has particularly hurt the Blaugrana, which is why goals have come at a premium. Sergio Aguero is indefinitely sidelined after contracting a heart issue that will require specific treatment for months. In addition, Martin Braithwaite has been unavailable for weeks due to a knee injury.
The Danish striker is best used as a backup option anyway, and with Luuk de Jong proving to be a dud, Barcelona must sign a striker in the January transfer window. To that end, it was mooted that Cabral was a key target for Barcelona, with recent reports claiming that talks were underway over a winter transfer.
However, the La Liga heavyweights are now having second thoughts over signing the 23-year-old, as his qualities have not entirely convinced the club. Such a development puts Barcelona in a spot of bother, especially amid recent developments pointing towards Karim Adeyemi rejecting the chance to join them. So, it remains to be seen if Barcelona can find a solution to their goalscoring woes if they decide not to sign Cabral.
