All things considered, FC Barcelona have made a strong start to their 2021/2022 campaign.
Toppling Real Soceidad 4-2 at the Camp Nou on Matchday 1 in La Liga, in their first match of the post-Lionel Messi era, Saturday’s 1-1 draw away at Athletic Bilbao was a tougher assignment yet the Blaugrana can be commended for the fight they showed after falling behind and being dominated for large swathes of the late night fixture.
The Catalans’ squad is by no means weak, but that it could do with new arrivals before the close of the current transfer window on August 31 is clear to all.
With the club mired in debts approaching $1.6bn, and a strict salary cap to navigate while spending 103% of revenue on player wages, going out onto the market and treating themselves to whoever takes their fancy is easier said than done.
As is often the case, however, the solution could be right under their nose. Like MARCA previously suggested, it can be argued that Barca have no fewer than six new “signings” currently "in the infirmary” but ready to join the first team squad upon recovery.
Of the group, Philippe Coutinho and Ansu Fati are the biggest names approaching availability for selection by coach Ronald Koeman.
The former already in training, he was finally joined by his 18-year-old teammate this morning who was injured some 290 days ago against Real Betis last November.
Out for nine months himself, Coutinho has had his importance to the project underlined by Koeman, who believes he can recapture the Liverpool form that prompted Barca to pay a club record fee for him in 2018 and should take one of the two positions in front of pivot Sergio Busquets in midfield when Pedri or Frenkie de Jong need a rest.
The newly-established Spain international granted a vacation in recent days, after 74 appearances without a breather, ‘Cou’ could fill Pedri’s role as early as Sunday in a La Liga meeting with Getafe.
Equally, De Jong may also retreat into Busi’s position when the veteran similarly needs to sit one out or is injured or suspended.
The breakout story of the 2019/2020 season, Fati can challenge impressive new capture Memphis Depay on the left flank or operate centrally as a ‘9’ with Griezmann to his right as early as Matchday 4 at Sevilla on September 11 following the international break.
Staking his claim to striker’s duties with a brace and an assist against La Real, Martin Braithwaite was flat at the weekend and had an evening to forget in San Mames best summarized by an early miss skied into the terraces from close range.
Knocking him further down the pecking order and perhaps providing a two-horse race with Fati will soon be Sergio Aguero.
Manchester City’s all-time top scorer joined on a free in late May, but will not feature until the end of October after straining a tendon in his right calf.
Able to operate on either wing is Ousmane Dembélé, who might become fit around the same time as Aguero after completing a successful knee surgery during Euro 2020 with France.
Further down the pitch, Barca have one of the world’s best goalkeepers at their disposal in Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Like Dembélé, he had to have his knee operated on earlier in the year, and though Koeman doesn’t want to rush him back into action, he is now training and a possible return has been earmarked for Getafe.
The same logic applies to Oscar Mingueza, who could slot in at center back considering injuries and suspensions respectively to fellow La Masia graduates Gerard Pique and Eric Garcia. Right back is a possible shout too, if preferred over Sergino Dest and Emerson.