In a recent report, Sport claimed that Barcelona have identified Manchester United forward Edinson Cavani as a primary target. It is believed that the Catalan giants are eyeing the Uruguay international as a replacement for Sergio Aguero in January.
Cavani’s Lack Of First-Team Chances At Old Trafford This Season
Cavani has been a valuable squad player for Man United but has often struggled to make an impact with his performances during this campaign. The former Napoli striker has only scored one goal in eight matches for the Red Devils this season in multiple competitions.
Most of Cavani’s appearances in the league has come as a substitute which explains why he is only averaging 1.4 shots, 0.2 key passes and 0.2 dribbles per game in the Premier League. However, the 34-year-old has distributed the ball relatively well after making 78.3% of his attempted passes in the English first division (stats via whoscored).
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Should Barcelona Boss Xavi Recruit Cavani In January?
Cavani is an experienced forward who can still perform at a high level when he is playing regularly on the field. He remains a decent finisher in front of the opponent’s goal and has got a great leap in him that helps him score a few goals with his head.
The 126-time Uruguay international can also engineer a few meaningful chances in the final third and is versatile enough to play any position across the frontline. However, Cavani is definitely a player on the decline as father time is slowly but surely catching up with his game. His lack of mobility could be why he has often been left on the fringes of Man United’s squad.
Still, we can expect Cavani to add some goals and physicality to Xavi’s attack. More importantly, he would serve as a perfect replacement for Sergio Aguero, who announced his retirement recently, at the Nou Camp. Cavani has got a wealth of experience and the winning mindset to help the Catalan club challenge for a major trophy and secure a top-four place in La Liga over the next couple of seasons. Thus, Xavi should think about recruiting the Man United marksman when the transfer window commences at the start of next year.
