Ranking Barcelona's Transfer Window Targets

The January transfer window brings an opportunity for clubs to assess exactly what they expect to achieve over the second half of the season and invest accordingly to find a player or two who might tilt the balance in their favour by May.

For Barcelona, it seems pretty clear that right-back is the key area for Luis Enrique to upgrade in, with a rotating cast filling in when Sergi Roberto isn't selected rather than Aleix Vidal getting a regular look-in.

There are other positions which have been included in the transfer rumours over the past month, though, and here, we rank the players involved by how well they suit the Catalan club's needs as well as their respective quality levels and cost effectiveness.

6. Dayot Upamecano

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Even if it's not an absolute necessity right now, Barca seem to be intent on making sure they're not caught short at the back in future.

Mundo Deportivo report (h/t Aaron Flanagan of the Mirror) Arsenal and Barcelona in battle to sign Dayot Upamecano, Red Bull Salzburg's 18-year-old centre-back who the Spanish outlet suggest (in Spanish) is seen as "another Umtiti" by the Camp Nou club.

Upamecano's contract runs until 2018, per the report, making this summer an important one in the chase for him—but if RB Leipzig qualify for the Champions League, he could make the move to the Bundesliga as the clubs are owned by the same corporation.

Additionally for the same position, Sport's Joaquim Piera has previously reported that Barcelona soon need to decide on whether to exercise their option to sign Colombian centre-back Yerry Mina, who they can take for €9 million from Palmeiras.

5. Davinson Sanchez

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Centre-back isn't an immediate priority for the club following the signing of Samuel Umtiti over the summer. Jeremy Mathieu is an uncertain fourth-choice, true, but 21-year-old Marlon Santos will be eligible for all competitions, and the Gerard Pique-Javier Mascherano partnership is still a strong one.

Even so, Barcelona scout and target young players over the long term for a reason: They're usually pretty good. That has proven so with Davinson Sanchez, who the Camp Nou outfit almost signed in the summer before he rejected the move, as he didn't want to play for the B team, suggesting he was good enough for the top flight already.

A move to Ajax ensued, and his qualities have impressed all—with Sport now reporting Barca are back in the market for the Colombian in January.

Whether this upcoming window or beyond, Barcelona seem likely to make a move for another talented young defensive option.

4. Philippe Coutinho

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Another long-standing interest from Barcelona now, and this time for a player who once represented their nearest rivals Espanyol: Philippe Coutinho, now of Liverpool.

The Mirror's Ed Malyon reports an escalation of Barca's unsettling tactics toward the Brazilian attacking midfielder in recent weeks, an approach which bore long-term fruit with the signing of Cesc Fabregas and has cycled up with former Barca midfielder Xavi praising Coutinho's technical ability.

A contract offer from the Reds to Coutinho is expected to fend off immediate interest, and the fee for any deal would be close to as hefty as the one which took Luis Suarez in the same direction—but the Uruguayan has been an enormous success at the Camp Nou, and the Liverpool man has the playing style and outright ability to have the same impact.

That said, his role this season for the Reds is one which is occupied by Neymar—left side of a three-man attack—and his secondary positions would see him battling Andres Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic, Rafinha, Arda Turan and Andre Gomes for an offensive central role.

With so much talent already available to Luis Enrique in that central position, and our ranking based on the team's needs rather than the players' quality, we can't rank Coutinho much higher—but he is already a better performer than most of those other than Iniesta and even pipped Neymar to the 2016 Samba Gold award, the best Brazilian in Europe.

3. Darijo Srna

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With the right-back position top of the list of demands, it's no surprise to see quite a few names linked to the Camp Nou club.

They could go out and sign a first-choice in January—but the alternative for Barcelona is to take an entirely different approach: bring in a short-term cover player, a more experienced and low-cost transfer to see them through to the summer, when they can sign their preferred option for the long haul.

Barca have done it previously with Henrik Larsson in attack, with Demetrio Albertini in midfield and attempted to do the same with Nolito as cover for the front three last winter—and now Marca's Xavi Hernandez reports Darijo Srna is top of the list to provide a similar sort of impact in 2017 at right-back.

The long-serving Shakhtar Donetsk captain has been a hugely consistent presence in his team's defence, as well as for the Croatian national team, and is noted for his great stamina reserves as well as crossing and set-piece ability—not that Barcelona have any particular shortage of talent in the latter category.

Srna is 34 and would perhaps not expect to play every game if he ended his 13-year stay at Shakhtar, but his wages are reported to be higher than Barca want to pay out, even in the short term.

He'd be a good fit stylistically, comfortable on the ball, determined in his work and certainly not lacking in being used to winning trophies, but he would only be a brief fix for squad-depth purposes. If there's a chance to bolster the position for the longer term in the summer, perhaps Srna fits the bill, but otherwise it's hard to see the sense in making a move for the veteran in January.

2. Joao Cancelo

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Joao Cancelo is a long-term Barcelona target, and the Spanish media believe they may have finally got their man—although a wait is in store to see the current Valencia right-back in blue and red.

Sport's Tomas Andreu reported an exclusive just before Christmas that Barcelona had agreed to terms with Cancelo...to move in the summer of 2017, citing not enough free investment potential in winter to make the deal happen immediately.

Los Che's No. 2 has a valuation of €30 million and will sign for five years according to the report.

Cancelo undoubtedly has his talents and some characteristics that will suit Barcelona's needs, but it's an astronomical fee to pay for a 22-year-old right-back who, frankly, hasn't shown anywhere near the consistent levels of ability required to be a regular starter at a top side—or command that sort of transfer valuation.

Barcelona "feel [he'll] be worth the money because of his potential," suggests Andreu, but the Portuguese full-back was last season often pushed forward to right midfield—with now-departed Antonio Barragan in defence—because of his deficiencies at the back. Cancelo is good, no question, but that good? For that money, to forget about other possibilities for the long term, including Hector Bellerin?

Perhaps not.

1. Serge Aurier

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Top billing for us goes to Paris Saint-Germain's attacking full-back Serge Aurier: a powerful, offensive presence down the flank who shows good link play in the final third and is aggressive with his defensive work.

L'Equipe report (h/t Football Italia) that Barca want to make a move in the winter market to give Sergi Roberto competition at right-back as well as free up the Spaniard to play in the midfield more often. AC Milan are also credited with an interest, though not until the summer transfer window.

Aurier has had his difficulties during his time in Paris, but there's little doubting the 24-year-old's talent. He is generally a regular performer for PSG, already clocking up three assists in Ligue 1 this term, behind only Angel Di Maria in the creativity stakes for Unai Emery's team.

The Ivory Coast international has a contract which runs for another two-and-a-half years, and PSG aren't exactly short of cash, so he'd be a big investment. He has shown more ability and a greater ceiling for achievement than Cancelo, as well as filling a position the team clearly need another option in, so gets the nod for top ranking.

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