Barcelona Transfer News: Kevin Gameiro, Lucas Perez, Latest Neymar Rumours

Barcelona will reportedly seek to sign another centre-forward this summer, with Sevilla hitman Kevin Gameiro and Deportivo la Coruna star Lucas Perez said to be on their shortlist.

That’s according to TV3 (h/t Sport), who reported the club are after a striker happy to deputise for Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez in the advanced positions. Here is a look at how the two aforementioned compare in La Liga matches this term:

	Gameiro	Perez
Apps (Sub)	22 (9)	33 (1)
Goals	16	16
Assists	4	8
Shots per game	2.3	2.9
Key passes per game	0.8	2.1
Dribbles per game	0.6	1.1

Gameiro has blossomed with Sevilla this season, continuing to fly under the radar as one of the most underrated forwards around. The 28-year-old is so sharp around the penalty area and quick to latch on to through balls; his predatory instincts would certainly take some of the goal-getting responsibility off the trio aforementioned.

As Ben Hayward of Goal noted after another brilliant display from the striker against Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday, he’s been a magnificent purchase for the club:

Perez began the 2015-16 campaign in stunning style, including a seven-match spell in which he netted a goal a game. The goals have dried up for the 27-year-old as the season has rumbled on, but with his brilliant technical ability, attacking versatility and eye for a pass, it’s easy to see why Barca may be interested.

Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images

Gameiro is the man most Blaugrana fans would love to see join, and for a player who turns 29 this month, he may jump at the opportunity of joining the finest attacking side on the planet. He'd have to wait his turn for a chance in the starting XI, but the Frenchman would surely get plenty of opportunities over the course of a long campaign.

Neymar Doubts Raised

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Barcelona forward Neymar is reportedly keeping his options open when it comes to his future at the club, with concerns over whether the Blaugrana can afford to keep him on board.

That’s according to Sky Sports’ Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, who has suggested that while contract negotiations between the two parties have progressed well, they’re still not rubber-stamped yet:

"

Neymar and Barcelona have negotiated a renewal of his contract. But has not been announced and has not been signed.

Neymar would prefer to stay but has to leave his options open because Barcelona have not got the finances to keep all the big names in the squad unless they bring a lot of revenue in, which of course, is still possible.

"

David Ramos/Getty Images

Additionally, Balague reported there are some at the club who are concerned about the player’s lifestyle away from the field:

"

I don't think everybody in the camp is impressed on the way he lives his life outside football, which some blame partly for his poor form in the last few months of the season.

"

After a blistering beginning to the season, when Neymar was arguably the finest player in European football, the 24-year-old’s form has dropped off. But as we can see here, courtesy of Dermot Corrgian of ESPN FC, he has improved his goalscoring tally from last term substantially:

The Brazilian has two years left to run on his contract come this summer and the fact no new deal has been signed yet adds fuel to speculation about a potential exit. According to a report from L’Equipe (h/t Marca) this week, French giants Paris Saint-Germain would be happy to pay the €175 million release clause in the player’s current contract.

As noted by Spanish football expert Rafael Hernandez, there have also been stories linking the player with a surprise move to Real Madrid. However, he doubts whether Neymar would want to make what would be a hugely controversial switch:

Neymar showed exactly what he’s capable of earlier in the campaign when Messi was absent with injury, stepping into the role of talisman for this team and playing the finest football of his career. He’s very much the future for the football club and they'll want to keep him around.

LLUIS GENE/Getty Images

To lose him, regardless of concerns surrounding his lifestyle, would be a huge blow to Barcelona fans. So once the Brazilian does pen new terms on a contract, you suspect many associated with the club will breathe a big sigh of relief.