FC Barcelona: Dani Alves, Muller the Bomber, the Incredible Hulk and Shakira
As we swiftly move into the business end of the season, Barcelona are on course to win the La Liga title, the Cup and are one of the favorites to win the Champions League.
Barcelona have already been drawn into what their summer wish list should look like, so here's some players who I think are capable of making the starting lineup plus some gossips and other news.
Happy reading!
Forget Cesc Fabregas; Focus on Thiago Alcantara
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Barcelona is again drawn into the Cesc Fabregas chapter. Will he or won't he? But do Barcelona even need him?
Barcelona's midfield is one of the best in the world right now, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets. Not to forget Barcelona's latest acquisition Ibrahim Afellay has shown he has a good future ahead of him with little cameo's whenever he has been presented a chance.
Fabregas is brilliant and could be a a replacement for Xavi when he hangs up his boots. But so can Thiago Alcantara.
He seems to be the perfect replacement for Xavi as he is very intelligent and his decisions on the field simply leave you without breath. Thiago has played for Spain national team at the 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Soccer Championship and the 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Soccer Championship in France, where he played a major role in Spain reaching the final.
With reports coming in that Barcelona are short of cash, Fabregas for me is a luxury buy. Barcelona does not need him!
It would also delay Thiago's entry as a regular in the first team and given the class the player is, suitors would come in hard for their prey!
Neymar "the Incredible Hulk"
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AS says Barca sports chief Andoni Zubizarreta has Neymar and Alexandre Pato on his summer shopping list. Both are great players and Barcelona would love to have these players playing for them.
Even though I'm a fan of both the players, I do not think Barcelona needs to splash cash on the strikers.
Pato is a regular in the Milan squad, and I fail to see how they'd let go their star striker without a fight. I'm not sure whether the Ibrahimovic deal is already lined up or not, but perhaps an arrangement to see Pato come to Barcelona can be worked out? I doubt it.
On the other hand, I'm a big fan of Neymar "The Incredible Hulk." He's a young striker, good in the air, can play on either flanks and has pace. Perhaps Barcelona feels they need to strengthen their attacking option, and I would love to see Barcelona bid for him!
The Curious Case of Dani Alves
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The Dani Alves saga has gone too long! I fail to understand why Barcelona are not improving their contract offer to the right back.
Alves is one of the key players of this current Barcelona line up, he has shown that he is reliable, and his partnership with Messi in the final third has been explosive. So why isn't he getting a better deal? Beats me!
There have been talks that Manchester City and Chelsea are ready to pounce in if negotiations stall. I believe it would be much more expensive for Barcelona to replace him—one option being Gokhan Gonul.
Gonul is considered one of the strongest in his position in Turkey, and rumours suggest both AC Milan and Bayern Munich have been tracking the defender, who has uncovered an eye for goal this season, finding the net three times.
I'm not sure if he's ready to be in Barcelona's colors, but I would love to see him at Barcelona at least as a back up for Alves.
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Bartra and Muniesa?
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Under Pep Guardiola, Carlos Puyol has been brilliant! But Puyol's injury has somewhat opened up a talking point. Do Barcelona have the necessary replacements?
Sergio Busquets, as we saw in the Champions League game against Arsenal, was not comfortable, and I do not think Barcelona can rely on taking that option again.
The only viable alternative to moving Busquets into the back line is Gabriel Milito, and in truth, it has been somewhat harrowing to witness the demise of a once astute stopper who appears incapable of continuing to compete at this level. Milito, who spent almost two years out with a ligament injury, cannot be relied upon.
So isn't it time to give Aregall Marc Bartra and Marc Muniesa a go at the top level? Both are outstanding defenders, and it's quite necessary that they be drafted into the starting lineup more often than not—if they are the replacements for Puyol once he hangs up his boots.
Thomas Muller the Bomber II
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Another attacking option I really like is Thomas Muller. The Golden Boot winner at the World Cup Finals is an immense talent, able to do what Riquelme used to do in his Argentina days. Find killer passes, daft touches and has also got the ability to score!
He was officially presented with the Hyundai Best Young Player at a ceremony held in Munich, Germany for his performance at the World Cup.
Whether or not Barcelona bid for him in the summer is another matter, but I reckon he is one of the greats in his position at the moment.
Shakira, Pique and Messi
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And finally some pictures of Gerard Pique and Shakira surfing up on the Internet!
Have a good week and our prayers are with the people of Japan.
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