Ousmane Dembelé's injury could end up being a blessing in disguise for Barcelona, as the club is considering to sign a player to take over his place after being ruled out for the rest of the season.
The winter transfer window is shut, but given the nature of the player's injury, La Liga would give Barcelona a chance to sign a new player to fill Dembelé's void. However, there are a few side notes that should be considered by fans and experts before they get their hopes up on a big-money deal.
First off, La Liga would not sanction a move involving a player from other league, which narrows all options to players performing in any of the Spanish football system categories.
The second fact fans need to consider is the amount of cash Barcelona can spend on such a deal. Given the team's massive payroll, paying top dollar for a player that could be used for only six months is not an option, which means that a striker with a low buyout clause could be the way to go.
Last, but not least, Barcelona has to submit proof of the extent of Dembelé's injury before they can try to sign a new player. At the moment, Barcelona has not revealed the player's recovery time, which would hinder their chances of adding talent to their frontline.
Which players could Barcelona sign?
According to Marca, Barcelona could consider the signing of up to four players, which can be suitable options to play up front and have a low buyout clause in their deals.
One of the first options should be Christian Stuani. Girona's striker has been previously linked to the Blaugrana side, and his low buyout clause could be crucial to see the deal come through.
One more option would be Real Sociedad's Willian José, but his buyout clause (over $70M) complicates a possible deal. The same goes for Real Betis' Loren Morón, who's $60M buyout clause makes him a bit expensive given the circumstances.
There are other players such as Carlos Bacca, Kevin Gameiro or Jaime Mata that could be on Barcelona's radar, but it will all fall in speculation territory until Los Culés hand in a transfer request to La Liga.
