3 players Barcelona should try to sign in January transfer window
It was one year ago that Barcelona's transfer ban came to an end, allowing the likes of Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal to finally pull on the Blaugrana shirt. The Catalan club was sanctioned for breaches relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18, forcing the Turkish midfielder and Spanish right-back to wait before moving to Camp Nou.
One year on, and the two players find themselves in very different places.
Turan, a €34-million pawn in Barcelona's 2015 presidential election, is coming into his own. His versatility is allowing him to find the minutes many doubted he would, as he can play as an attacking midfielder, a forward, a winger, and a false nine. Vidal, meanwhile, is nowhere to be seen, reportedly wanted by clubs across Europe who are prepared to pick up the unwanted full-back.
Whether Barcelona learned anything from last year's January transfer window remains to be seen, but the club is always looking to improve, even when it feels like there's no more room for improvement.
With that in mind, here are three players Barcelona should attempt to sign in the January transfer window:
Joao Cancelo (Valencia)
According to Sport, a deal is in place that will see Joao Cancelo join Barcelona from Valencia on a five-year contract. The transfer reportedly won't take place until the summer, but the report was published before Cesar Prandelli resigned as Los Che's manager, taking the club to a new low.
Cancelo, 22, is exactly the type of player Barcelona pursues. The Portuguese youngster can play anywhere on the right flank, from right-back to wing-back to forward, and he boasts an attacking instinct that is reminiscent of Dani Alves.
If Barcelona wants to snatch up Cancelo in January, the Blaugrana might be able to exploit the mess at Valencia, which shows no signs of getting better before it gets worse, and which is clearly taking a toll on the player. Should he move to Camp Nou, it would almost certainly spell the end of Vidal's time with the club.
Carlos Bacca (AC Milan)
It's fairly obvious things aren't going to work out for Paco Alcacer at Barcelona. The Spanish forward has scored just one goal for the club since moving from Valencia - that coming in a 7-0 Copa del Rey thrashing of Hercules CF.
Enter Carlos Bacca, who is in the midst of a solid season at AC Milan. Reports have suggested that an exchange involving the Colombian forward and Alcacer was on the table, but, according to ESPN, who cited the Spanish press, Barcelona denied such a thing existed.
Regardless of where the truth lies, the idea of Bacca representing Barcelona seems unlikely, simply because he's too talented to fight for minutes with Luis Suarez. But the Blaugrana's attack, already the most fearsome on the planet, would be taken to another level by the Club Junior product, and the Catalan club doesn't have anything to lose in trying to acquire the player.
Stephan Lichtsteiner (Juventus)
Mundo Deportivo reported in December that Barcelona no longer saw Stephan Lichtsteiner as a candidate to join the club. Among the alleged reasons were the cost, a lack of attacking instincts, and Juventus' loss of Alves to a broken leg.
However, nobody will be surprised if Barcelona decides to activate its pursuit of Lichtsteiner once again. The Swiss wing-back is as experienced as they come, and always looks to get forward, regardless of his advancing age. Furthermore, the 32-year-old didn't take the pitch for Juventus in the Champions League group stage, meaning he is eligible to play in European football's most prestigious competition.