Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku is one among the forwards that Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman has his sights set on ahead of the summer window.
According to a report from Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman has identified Inter Milan’s ace goalscorer Romelu Lukaku as a potential target to bolster his attack in the summer transfer window.
Barcelona are in dire need of a new centre-forward before the next season kicks off. The Catalans let Luis Suarez leave the club last summer without adequately replacing him, which left Koeman with just Martin Braithwaite as the only out-and-out centre-forward at his disposal.
With the Dane not always impressing, the Barcelona manager has had to utilise Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann in the centre-forward slot. But, with question marks looming over the futures of both the superstars ahead of the next season, it is imperative that Barcelona bring in a new, top-quality striker in the summer at any cost.
To that end, Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku has emerged as a target for Koeman as he looks to add more firepower to his attacking unit. The Belgian international joined the Nerazzurri in the summer of 2019 from Manchester United and has taken his game to a whole new level since moving to Italy.
Lukaku, so far in his stint with Inter Milan, has already plundered 58 goals in 84 matches, establishing himself as one of the deadliest forwards in Europe currently. The 27-year-old has been in prolific form in the ongoing campaign, having already bagged 24 goals, spearheading Inter’s push for the Scudetto.
Lukaku’s exploits had gathered him admirers in Manchester City and now Barcelona too have registered an interest in the Belgian powerhouse. The striker is someone that Koeman knows well, having worked with him during the pair’s time at Everton and the manager is now considering a reunion with Lukaku at Camp Nou.
Apart from Lukaku, the Blaugrana boss has his sights set on another former Manchester United player in Memphis Depay. Barcelona were keen on signing the Dutchman last summer itself but a move failed to materialise. However, with him being out of contract at Lyon come the end of the season, he very much remains on the Catalans’ radar.
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Another player that is on Koeman’s shortlist for attacking reinforcements is Borussia Dortmund’s star marksman Erling Haaland. One of the hottest commodities in the transfer market currently, the Norwegian has been slaying defences for fun this season and is being chased by a host of clubs across Europe.
Given Barcelona’s financial problems, a move for either of Lukaku or Haaland could prove to be difficult seeing as the duo is likely to cost a hefty sum. So, it remains to be seen as to who the Catalans opt to make a move for in the summer.
We just need to sign Erling Haaland asap. We must take freebies Alaba, Garcia and Aguero. Before we do all that, we will need to sell Coutinho, Griezman, Umtiti, Roberto, Busquets, Braithwaite and Pjanic. We need to bring back Alena. We must forget about signing Wijnaldum and Depay. They won’t add any value. We don’t need another midfielder. Gini will stifle youth development as the youngsters won’t get enough minutes. The only midfielder worth getting is Isco, if Madrid are willing to let him go.