According to Diario Sport, as cited by Football Espana, Barcelona are keen on adding Mikel Oyarzabal to their squad this summer. The Spanish forward currently plies his trade for the La Liga outfit Real Sociedad and has made his mark as a competent forward for his club as well as country in recent times.
As per the report, the 22-year-old is considered as one of the top targets this summer by Ernesto Valverde to add some much-needed firepower to his side. In the last term, none of the forwards except Lionel Messi and to some extent Luis Suarez was able to make an impact which had adverse effects on Barcelona’s Champions League and Copa Del Rey campaigns. Both the aforementioned campaigns ended in disappointment for the Blaugrana, and they had to be satisfied with their triumph in La Liga.
Barcelona’s Attacking Woes
Both Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho were unable to turn on the heat against most of the oppositions in the last term. While Coutinho ended the season with just 11 goals and five assists in 54 appearances to his name, Dembele finished the season with 14 goals and nine assists in 42 matches to show for his efforts.
This has reportedly got the Barcelona fans as well their manager fuming as Valverde eyes Oyarzabal to strengthen the attack ahead of the next season. The 22-year-old forward, who predominantly plays as a left winger, could be the perfect solution to the problem for the Spanish manager.
Why Oyarzabal?
Let’s have a look at the Spaniard’s stats for the last term. The versatile winger put in several stellar performances and took on some of the best defenders with absolute ease throughout the season. He made 41 appearances in all competitions and finished the season with 14 goals and four assists to his name.
Oyarzabal’s phenomenal form continued to earn rave reviews in the international competitions as well as he led the attack of his national side with a lot of conviction. His darting runs down the left-hand side and his ability to aim for the goal from a variety of ranges has made him a significant threat to deal with for the opposition defenders.
Good Fit For Valverde?
After the disappointing end to the last term, Valverde had to take a lot of blame for his allegedly faulty decision making. The pressure is currently on the Barcelona boss to bring in players who would be able to take the side to the top of the table in every competition they play in the next term. Oyarzabal could be an excellent option to strengthen the attack for the Blaugrana alongside the likes of Messi and Suarez.
The 22-year-old winger is a proven success at the top level, and his presence could be of significant impact for the Catalan giants if they can land him this summer. Now it is to be seen whether Real Sociedad let their prized possession leave for Nou Camp in the following days.