Barcelona add two big names to transfer shortlist, but they aren’t good fits

Barcelona only made one transfer this past summer window due to their tricky economic situation, and they had to sacrifice all other potential signings and then sell Ilkay Gundogan back to Manchester City in order to make it happen.

But even though Dani Olmo has already missed time with injury, which was a feared drawback of the transfer initially, the Spanish international has shown signs of being worth the club’s time.

Olmo has scored in all three of his appearances for Barcelona, adding a new dynamic to an attack that looks like Europe’s most explosive with Robert Lewandowski banging home the goals, Lamine Yamal building on a sensational rookie campaign, and Raphinha legitimately looking like one of the best wingers in the world.

Per a report from Relevo, Barcelona are still looking at attacking options for the summer 2025 transfer window, and they have their eyes on free agent striker Jonathan David.

Years ago when Real Madrid were asking the question about Karim Benzema‘s long-term replacement – which ended up being national teammate Kylian Mbappe – David emerged on their transfer radar.

He has improved markedly as an all-around striker since then and is a great market opportunity on the free agent transfer market after failing to move this past summer, owing to Lille’s fixation on asking for bloated transfer prices for their players.

David is a talented striker in his prime, but he doesn’t have the feathery technical ability, slick dribbling skills, or tactical nuances of the sort of strikers Barcelona like to have in their ranks, such as a Robert Lewandowski, Samuel Eto’o, or David Villa. As a long-term replacement for Lewandowski, he’s underwhelming.

Barcelona are also, per Relevo, monitoring a defensive midfielder to fulfill their biggest need in the “pivot” spot, vacated by the departure of club legend Sergio Busquets to MLS in 2023.

Martin Zubimendi is the dream, but Barcelona are also reportedly interested in impending free agent Thomas Partey, who is an even more underwhelming option at his position than David is at striker.

Thomas is a subpar player who functions as a “destroyer” with limited creativity, passing ability, or dribbling skills in tight areas. He was a great player for Atletico Madrid but is an anti-Barca player and doesn’t really even fit what Arsenal want, which is why the Gunners deem him expendable and signed La Liga star Mikel Merino to replace him this past summer.

Barcelona need to remember that their own academy players are often superior to these big names on bloated wages, because free agent does not mean “free”. Clubs like Barcelona and Juventus should have already learned this lesson the hard way.