Barcelona are looking for a winger in the market to allow rotations for Raphinha and Lamine Yamal. The club might also have enough capital for the signing, as Deco, the sporting director, has ruled out the signing of a striker for next season. Deco: “Backup for Lewandowski? In the squad, we have players capable of playing there like Ferran, who has had a spectacular season, Olmo, as a false ‘9’, and FermĂn… This squad has internal solutions when Lewy is not there.” Several names have surfaced to be Barcelona’s new winger, and an analysis reveals the ideal player.
Nico Williams saga: The train has passed
Lamine Yamal‘s best friend in the Spanish national team, Nico Williams, was approached by Barcelona after the Euros 2024. The club wanted to sign the youngster and create a lethal attacking duo of Lamine and Nico for many years to come. However, Nico Williams had turned down Barcelona as he wanted to spend one more season at Athletic Bilbao with his brother, Inaki Williams.
It is rumoured that the youngster is now interested in joining Barcelona, but the club has other priorities. Nico Williams’s train has passed, as the Barça board no longer sees him as an option. As Johan Cruyff famously said: “If you have second thoughts about playing for Barcelona, you are no longer of service to us”. Deco: “Last season, we were thinking about two players to improve our team, Dani Olmo and Nico Williams. From the very beginning, Olmo wanted to come to Barça and showed confidence in the project, making it easier. Nico didn’t.”
Luis Diaz
Luis Diaz is one of the leading candidates to be signed, as Deco likes the Colombian winger. He is a winger who is technically gifted and is good on the ball, as he knows how to retain possession. Diaz has a 50% dribble success rate and completed 51 dribbles this season in the Premier League. The Colombian doesn’t hesitate to take shots at the goal, even from the most awkward angles, and is very fearless inside the box. However, Luis Diaz is 28 years old and Liverpool demands âŹ85m for the Colombian. That makes him a less-than-ideal signing to be a backup for Raphinha and Yamal or to be a future key player for Barcelona.
Rafael Leao
Rafael Leao has been on Barcelona’s radar since last season. The Portuguese winger is currently under contract at AC Milan, but if Flick and Deco consider the investment worth it, Barça can have an elite winger on their side.
Possession play
Rafael Leao is very good at playing 1-2 with his teammates and has elite link-up abilities. His high IQ adds momentum to the game and enables him to create a lot in the final third. He is a mature winger who knows when to retain possession and when to risk it, as he has a 50% dribble success rate with 59 dribbles completed in Serie A this season.
Switching play
Surprisingly, Rafael Leao loves to switch play to the other side if he thinks it’s necessary. This skill is not necessary for a winger, but does come as a bonus to his skill set. The accuracy of these long passes does have room for improvement, but it can prove as a lethal weapon against low-block teams in La Liga. When facing low-block pragmatic teams, switching the play quickly is important to find spaces, and the Portuguese winger can help Hansi Flick’s side with that.
Defensive potential
Leao isn’t the motivated player to defend and press with high intensity to win the ball back. However, an eye test suggests that he is quite effective in his pressing and ball recovery when he has the ambition. Hansi Flick could change his attitude and make him a hard-working player who can press upfront to suffocate the opposition.
Ademola Lookman
Ademola Lookman, the CAF player of the year for 2024 and a Europa League winner with a hat trick in the final for Atalanta, has an incredible resume. The Nigerian has 20 goals and 6 assists for Atalanta this season, equalling his numbers in the previous season with fewer games. The 28-year-old also scored against Real Madrid in the Champions League during a stellar performance.
Ball carrying and chance creation
Lookman is not just an excellent out-wide winger but also can drop deep and carry the ball forward into dangerous areas. This means he can also play in central spaces as an attacking midfielder, replacing Olmo when he needs rest. The Nigerian averages 2.43 chances created per 90 minutes, which is impressive considering the defensive nature of Serie A.
Quick and Direct
Ademola Lookman is quick on counterattacks, but also when facing a low block. He doesn’t hesitate to take a shot from the tightest of angles and can be a solution for Flick against defensive teams. Lookman can bring more goals to the team, as his goal-scoring ability is improving every season.
The Ideal pick for Barça’s next winger?
All of these players are world-class wingers who can thrive in this Barcelona side. However, the best pick for me is Ademola Lookman, who is available for only âŹ40m. When you’re bringing in a backup for your main players, you can not spend too much on them, like Luiz Diaz’s âŹ85m. He is a good match for Flick’s team, and Laporta and Deco should not let him slip away to another club in the summer.
