Barcelona sporting director Deco on striker search – “We don’t rule anyone out”

Barcelona have started drawing up plans for the summer, in which they will over see their most important transfer window in a number of years. A new centre-back and striker are on the agenda, with the latter currently being prioritised following confirmation of Robert Lewandowski’s exit at the end of the season.

Two main targets have emerged as this stage, those being Julian Alvarez and Joao Pedro. The man tasked with choosing the right candidate is Barcelona sporting director Deco, who was asked about the matter during an appearance at the club’s end-of-season dinner on Wednesday, as per MD.

“Today is a bit of a sad day because Robert’s departure is consolidated. It is almost impossible to replace Robert, he has been the best striker in recent years, and everything he has done at Barça in these years is very difficult to replace, but football is like that. Ferran came as a winger and has become a ‘9’, but now it’s time to make decisions and start strengthening the team.

“It is not a matter of profile. We don’t rule anyone out or sign anyone. They are internal things, what we have to guarantee is that we are going to work as we do every year. We have lost a very important player in Robert and of course we are going to try to strengthen the team.”

At this stage, Pedro is the most likely to join Barcelona, especially when compared to Alvarez. The Chelsea forward is prepared to push through a summer move, although the Premier League side are very unwilling to sell, and with former Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso now at the helm, the Catalans’ pursuit will be even more complicated.

Nevertheless, it remains to be seen who Deco goes for, and whether he can manage to get a deal over the line.