Gianluca Di Marzio has recently stated that Barcelona have identified Olympique Lyonnais forward Moussa Dembele as Luis Suarez’s replacement this summer. It is understood that Ronald Koeman is prepared to give his blessing for the potential signing of the French striker during this summer transfer period (via Gianluca Di Marzio).
Dembele’s Impressive Scoring Record At The Groupama Stadium
It has been another fruitful campaign for the Lyon star as he has been devastating in the final third as the focal point of Rudi Garcia’s attack. The Pontoise-born marksman featured in 46 matches for the French outfit in the previous campaign, banging in 24 goals and grabbing seven assists in all competitions.
Dembele has been an influential presence inside the opposition penalty area after averaging 2.1 shots, 0.8 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Ligue 1 last season. However, he needs to distribute the ball better as evident from his pass success rate of 70.1% in the top tier of France (stats via whoscored).
The former Celtic striker has made a name for himself as prolific goal-scorer in French football, but is yet to secure a senior cap for Didier Deschamps’ French national team. One can argue whether Dembele has got what it takes to keep performing at top gear if he decides to make a switch to the Nou Camp this summer.
What Will The French Marksman Bring To The Catalan Club?
Dembele is a deceptively quick forward who can use his upper-body strength to hold the ball up and get others involved in and around the opponent’s penalty area. The French attacker is proficient at creating space for himself so that he can get a few shots in at the goal. Plus, he is a natural goal-scorer in the decisive third of the field and can even contribute by earning his fair share of assists going forward.
Recruiting a striker of Dembele’s proven quality and track record will be a massive coup for the new Barca boss Ronald Koeman in this off-season. He could serve as an ideal long-term replacement for Luis Suarez, who is edging closer towards the end of his long and illustrious playing career.
Dembele will bring plenty of pace and goals to the Nou Camp and has the potential to become a favourite among the Barca supporters if he can maintain his high standards in terms of goal-scoring in the coming seasons.
However, it remains to be seen whether Dembele possesses the technical qualities to succeed at a club of Barcelona’s size and stature. At 24, he has got his best years ahead of him, so Koeman will fancy his chances of getting the best out of the French centre-forward in the upcoming 2020-21 La Liga campaign.
