Report: Barcelona can sign striker outside of transfer window

La Liga has granted Barcelona permission to make an emergency signing to replace the recently injured Ousmane Dembele, sources told ESPN's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens.

However, the Blaugrana can only target players who are either already at clubs in Spain or free agents. The club has just €12 million to spend from their already tight budget and 15 days to complete a deal, according to Marsden and Llorens.

La Liga allows teams to file a request to sign players outside of the designated transfer windows but only in exceptional circumstances.

Dembele is expected to miss six months with a torn hamstring and Luis Suarez may not return from a knee injury until the end of the season. Barcelona also sold striker Carles Perez to Roma in January, leaving the club with just two senior strikers in its ranks and 17-year-old phenom Ansu Fati, who's still registered as a youth player.

With left-back Jordi Alba injured Saturday against Getafe, manager Quique Setien now has just 15 first-team players available to him.

Getafe striker Angel Rodriguez - who has scored a remarkable eight goals off the bench this season - and Alaves counterpart Lucas Perez are reportedly among Barcelona's options. Rodriguez is particularly attractive given he has a €10-million release clause.