Fernandez: Barca to buy another forward before season starts

Barcelona’s sporting director Robert Fernandez made clear they will look to the transfer market to add to their attacking stocks.

After Barcelona’s 3-2 victory over Sampdoria in the Joan Gamper Trophy on Wednesday, Fernandez confirmed the Spanish champions will look to buy a fourth forward before the start of the LaLiga season.

“We’re going to buy another forward. We have to look at all of the options on the table. We will make the most appropriate decision for the good of the collective. It’s our intention for it to be before the league season starts,” Fernandez told TV3.

Barcelona have been actively looking in the market to add depth to the final third, which aside from the starting three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar is currently restricted to Munir El Haddadi.

In April, Barcelona reportedly looked to complete a swap deal with Sevilla, offering a fee in the range of €20million and Alen Halilovic for Kevin Gameiro, before they lost out to Atletico Madrid.

Ahead of Sunday’s first leg in the Supercopa de Espana away to Sevilla, Fernandez maintains finding a new attacker will be a coordinated effort, but the current squad is nevertheless in good shape.

“We need to discuss a lot of it with [Barcelona coach] Luis Enrique, and look at whether someone else must leave. We’re looking for the best for them, but we’re also looking to improve,” he said.

“The team is gathering its physical tone, and workloads are lessening. Sunday is our first important game of the season, playing for silverware and we want to win.”

Meanwhile, coach Luis Enrique maintains while Barcelona are looking, they will not sign a player just for the sake of it.

“On paper, this is the best squad that I have had in my three years at Barca. If we find a player that will improve us, we will do it. If, not we continue with this squad which is already great,” said Luis Enrique.