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Xavi was only officially presented as Barcelona’s new first-team coach on Monday, November 8 at the Camp Nou but his arrival has already sparked speculation about which players the club could try to sign in the January transfer window.
One player who is surprisingly being linked with a Camp Nou move is Al Sadd’s Algerian striker Baghdad Bounedjah. The 29-year-old played for Xavi for the Qatari side and was a key player for the Barca legend.
Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi told TSA Algerie that Xavi is a big fan of Bounedjah but does not know if that means the new coach could try to bring the striker to the Camp Nou.
“The current Barca is not the Barcelona of Messi, Xavi, Iniesta,” he said. “In our timing, I don’t know if Xavi has in mind to bring him back to Barcelona, but I know he likes him a lot.”
Barcelona could look to strengthen the attack after losing Sergio Aguero for three months after cardiac exams, while Martin Braithwaite is also a long-term injury victim after undergoing knee surgery.
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Praise For ‘Extraordinary’ Baghdad
Belmadi also talked up Bounedjah who has already netted 11 times in just 9 appearances for Al Sadd in the Qatar Stars League this season. The Algeria coach made it clear just how highly he rates the attacker.
“Baghdad is doing extraordinary things. Baghdad in Barcelona, what do you want me to tell you? Xavi knows better than I… maybe he thinks Baghdad is the first or second choice. It can be a surprise for others and not for him since he knows him. He knows how to compare with the squad there is at the moment in Barcelona. God only knows, that would be an extraordinary thing,” he said. “He made history, he scored goals everywhere…He scored the goal of the Afcon final, one of the most important goals in the history of Algerian football.”
Bounedjah is not the only player being linked with a Barcelona move ahead of the opening of the winter transfer window. Congolese striker Cedric Bakambu is also seen as a “strong option” to replace Sergio Aguero.
Attackers Raheem Sterling, Alexandre Lacazette, Edinson Cavani, and Karim Adeyemi have also been rumored to be of interest to Barca, while president Joan Laporta has claimed the club could make three signings in the winter.
Xavi Talks Winter Transfers
Xavi spoke about the possibility of the club bringing in players in January at a press conference after being unveiled as the new Barcelona coach. The 41-year-old admitted he would need to talk to Laporta first, as reported by Diario AS.
“Well, I just landed a couple of days ago, we have to talk to the president about many things. And one of those things of course is the winter transfer market. We have some top-level wingers that are good on the one-to-one,” he said. “We also have some injured players. Let’s see how Ansu evolves but we will recover people in one or two weeks and we’ll be a competitive team. But yes, I want to play with open wingers, playing wide and that can play in one-to-one situations.”
Much may depend on Barca’s injury situation. Ansu Fati is also currently out injured and not expected back until mid-December, as reported by Mundo Deportivo. The Catalans are also without Ousmane Dembele due to a hamstring strain and it’s not clear yet when the Frenchman will return.
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