With Pedri sidelined for three weeks and Dani Olmo nursing fitness issues, the Blaugrana are casting a wide net for reinforcements capable of blending tenacity, creativity, and box-to-box dynamism.
The club’s scouting network has honed in on a trio of versatile operators, prioritizing value in a market squeezed by financial fair play constraints.
Flick’s vision demands players who can rotate seamlessly with Frenkie de Jong and Fermín López, ensuring sustained intensity through La Liga’s title race and Champions League knockout stages.
Topping that shortlist is Scott McTominay, the 28-year-old Scottish powerhouse currently starring for Napoli after a £25 million summer switch from Manchester United.
Barcelona sees McTominay as a ready-made solution to their depth crisis, valuing his aerial dominance, goal-scoring instincts from deep, and relentless work rate—attributes that echo his 18-goal haul in United’s 2023-24 campaign.
A reunion with Marcus Rashford, Barcelona’s on-loan sensation who has notched seven assists since arriving from Old Trafford, adds intrigue, potentially recreating a United partnership that yielded key moments in domestic cups.
Sources close to Camp Nou suggest Barcelona is preparing a January inquiry, eyeing a loan-to-buy structure to test McTominay’s fit without immediate outlay.
McTominay’s Serie A adaptation has been seamless, with two goals and three assists in Napoli’s early fixtures, but whispers of homesickness and a desire for Champions League exposure could sway him toward Catalonia.
The other shortlist contenders—a Bundesliga box-to-box talent and a Ligue 1 deep-lying playmaker—offer alternatives, but McTominay’s Premier League pedigree and familiarity with Rashford tip the scales.
Napoli, buoyed by his impact under Antonio Conte, would demand at least €30 million to entertain bids, testing Barcelona’s resolve.
For Flick, McTominay represents more than midfield muscle; he’s a cultural bridge to English flair, complementing Rashford’s resurgence.
As Barcelona eyes a permanent Rashford deal, this shortlist move signals ambition: rebuilding through smart, synergistic acquisitions
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