FC Barcelona striker Ousmane Dembele has suffered another injury setback. The 22-year-old French man is set to be out for six months after undergoing surgery in Finland to fix a torn hamstring. The injury-prone forward hasn’t had the best of times at Camp Nou. Dembele has so far scored a paltry 12 goals in 51 appearances for the Catalan giants.
A return in the Barcelona hierarchy feel is disappointing considering the huge fee they signed him for from German side Borussia Dortmund. With Dembele set to be on the sidelines till next season, Barcelona will have to find a replacement quickly.
Here are five players who could fill in or ultimately replace Dembele and also Suarez.
1. Willian Jose Da Silva
The Real Sociedad striker is set to make a surprise move to the defending La Liga champions. Reports in the media suggest that the Brazilian will be the beneficiary of a special transfer request. The Royal Spanish Football federation will most likely grant Barca’s request to make a signing outside the transfer window. The imminent arrival of Willian Jose should help ease the Catalans goal scoring concerns. The Sociedad attacker has scored eight goals in 22 matches this season. His experience, especially in the league, should come in handy for them, at least in the interim.
2. Angel Rodriguez
Another short term option. The La Liga veteran has also been linked with a move to Barcelona. The 32-year-old is not the fanciest of players but could possibly do a job for Barcelona Coach Quique Setien. His nine goals return in 20 matches doesn’t make for bad reading either.
3. Loren Moron
The Real Betis forward has been generating a lot of interest from various clubs Spanish including Barcelona. The 26-year-old Spanish international has great scoting dribbling ability and should be a perfect fit in the Nou Camp’s long term plans. The Betis man has a lot to improve in his game, but there’s no doubt he has an unquestionable talent that can flourish in the Barca environment. He can serve as a replacement for both Suarez and Dembele.
4. Cristian Stuani
The Uruguayan Hitman has been suggested as a potential replacement for Dembele. The Girona FC striker has been very prolific in the second division this season, scoring 16 goals out of 17 matches that he has played. It is no surprise that Barcelona would want such a forward who is inform and has La Liga experience. The 33-year-old could be a piece of smart business if the Catalans decide to go down that route.
5. Luis Javier Suarez
The Real Zaragoza player has also been on the radar, the Spanish Giants. The 22 years old Colombian on loan from English side Watford FC has netted 14 goals from 26 matches he has so far this season. The talented player could also be a great addition to the Barcelona squad.
