In the transfer market, Barcelona still hardly has any breathing room in 2024. La Blaugrana’s financial difficulties continue to pose a threat to their summertime operation. Joan Laporta, the club president, maintains that they have enough cash on hand to make a few additions here and there.
Although it would be extremely Barcelona to go out and spend all of their money on players just to see how they perform in Euro 2024, there is definitely quality among those summertime stars.
Here are five of the best European Championship performers Barca should consider recruiting.
1. Dani Olmo
Olmo shone when given a chance by Spain / Alex Livesey/GettyImages
In terms of impact-to-minutes played ratio, Dani Olmo was probably the best player at Euro 2024.
The midfielder started only three games for Spain but still came up with five goal contributions and excelled in the absence of the injured Pedri. If that’s not an omen for Barcelona to bring him in then I don’t know what is.
90min recently reported the club are in talks with RB Leipzig over a €60m deal but with more favourable payment terms, so you may be in luck, Barca fans.
2. David Hancko
Hancko starred for Slovakia / ANP/GettyImages
But for the grace of Jude Bellingham’s overhead kick, David Hancko would have been a Euro 2024 quarter-finalist with Slovakia.
Alas, that’s just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.
Slovakia should hold their heads high for their exploits in Germany however, and Hancko – a centre-back/left-back hybrid – did well to boost his stock following a fine couple of years at Feyenoord.
Barcelona could do with some more defenders who cover a couple of positions, and they’d do worse than to land Hancko.
3. Ferdi Kadioglu
Kadioglu will not be short of suitors at this rate / Jonathan Moscrop/GettyImages
A full-back who is capable of acting like a winger and a midfielder at the same time? Come on, this is a vintage Barcelona player right here.
If you love reading transfer gossip, you’ll no doubt have recognised the name of Ferdi Kadioglu when Turkey came on your tellybox at Euro 2024.
The Fenerbahce man lived up to the hype with his performances on their run to the quarter-finals. You can expect to see Kadioglu feature in plenty more headlines before the window slams shut.
4. Jerdy Schouten
Schouten stepped up for the Netherlands / Marvin Ibo Guengoer – GES Sportfoto/GettyImages
It’s gone under the radar how much the Netherlands were decimated by injuries on the eve of Euro 2024.
Barcelona’s own Frenkie de Jong failed to recover from an ankle problem in time to make the tournament, but that allowed PSV Eindhoven’s Jerdy Schouten the chance to shine in Ronald Koeman instead.
Now, I’m not saying Barca should just sign the international players who replaced their own injured contingent, but it wouldn’t seem like the worst idea, would it?
5. Nico Williams
Here he is, the main man / Anadolu/GettyImages
But if there’s only one player that Barcelona absolutely should buy this summer, it’s Nico Willliams.
They’ve done a pretty good job of flirting with the idea over the past month, while Lamine Yamal has played his part in teasing the move. Athletic Club are even annoyed that the Spanish FA didn’t step in to act on Barca’s underhand tactics.
Barcelona have never been strangers to such ploys in order to get who they want. Maybe this is a sign they are truly on the way back up.
