Alexis Sanchez linked with sensational return to Barcelona
Martin Macdonald
- Updated: 16 Dec 2021 09:37 GMT
- 3 min read
Barcelona are looking into the possibility of bringing Alexis Sanchez back to Camp Nou in the January transfer window.
Head coach Xavi is desperate for reinforcements and Barca have been looking at a variety of players to try and strengthen the squad, though the club's hands are currently tied by the financial situation.
Barca cannot afford to pay a significant transfer fee for a player unless they receive a huge injection of funds from sales in January.
As they are near their wage budget limit, too, players will need to be moved on before anyone can even arrive on loan.
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That hasn't stopped plans being put in place for deals, though, with Alexis emerging as an option.
The Chilean played for Barcelona between 2011 and 2014, making 141 appearances, scoring 46 goals and recording 35 assists.
He would subsequently move to Arsenal where he enjoyed success, but his career started to go downhill after an ill-fated move to Manchester United.
In 32 Premier League appearances for the Red Devils he scored just three goals, and as he was on gargantuan wages at the time, scathing criticism soon followed.
Sanchez would then join Inter on loan and then on a permanent basis, but has never been a key player and was initially behind Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez in the pecking order at San Siro, while Edin Dzeko plays more than him now.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barca would take Alexis on loan but any deal is complicated by his reported €10 million a season wages.
Who else do Barcelona want to sign?
Barcelona's priority target for January remains Manchester City forward Ferran Torres.
However, it seems unlikely that the transfer will happen in January as the Premier League giants are reportedly asking for €60m for Torres, while the most Barcelona are prepared to pay is €45m.
And, even at that price, the money would actually be exchanged in the summer and not in January.
Xavi's priority to improve the squad is in the attack, specifically someone effective as a centre-forward.
They have been linked with a raft of forwards in the press, including, Raheem Sterling, Anthony Martial, Karim Adeyemi, and the aforementioned Sanchez.
In more fantastical reports, they have been linked with Borussia Dortmund superstar Erling Haaland.
As mentioned above, however, Barcelona will need to try and sell as many fringe players as possible.
Samuel Umtiti, Philippe Coutinho, Luuk de Jong and Martin Braithwaite are the main squad members they are looking to offload.
