One of the biggest unanswered questions for Barcelona going into the new year is the current and future state of the center forward position.
Hansi Flick has to decide which player to select in the second half of the season to give his team the best chance of competing for trophies. After that, Joan Laporta will have to determine if change is needed at the position heading into the summer
At the start of the season, it was largely believed to be Robert Lewandowski’s to lose. There was some speculation
about the possibility of using Marcus Rashford, or even Dani Olmo as a false nine.
Ferran Torres was written off by many as an option off the bench, or perhaps a rotation piece when the aging Lewandowski needed a rest.
Instead, Ferran is putting in his best season in a Barcelona shirt. So far, across all competitions, he has 13 goals and an assist. Lewandowski meanwhile has recorded 8 goals and 2 assists. In the Pichichi race, Ferran is in second place, while Lewandowski isn’t far behind in fourth.
Has either player earned the right to be called the out-and-out starter? Or maybe Flick will look at the situation as a evidence that he can mix and match from game to game as he sees fit.
One thing’s for sure, Flick will be content with the options he has at his disposal, at least for now. On paper, his forwards are fit, and contributing at a high level.
But the long term future for the club is another question.
Will Marcus Rashford be signed full time, or at least have an extension of his loan deal? If so, could we start to see more of him in a central role?
Lewandowski, in spite of the fact that he continues to perform at the age of 37, seems destined to take on a new challenge in a new league at the close of the season. Father time is simply catching up.
Ferran Torres has a contract that will keep him at Barcelona for another season. Don’t be surprised if Barcelona looks to extend it. There has been talk of keeping him through 2030.
If an extension comes through, the question will be what role he plays on the team. Most would agree that he isn’t a future number one striker for Barcelona, even if Flick seems to be getting the best out of him. But is he valuable enough to keep around, under the right contract with reasonable wages, so that he can continue to be a reliable utility player?
Or, if he continues to put up big numbers this season, could Barcelona take advantage and cash out on a transfer? That would depend if Ferran is willing to consider offers. So far, he has seemed content with his life in Barcelona in spite of the challenges.
Flick and Laporta will both have some thinking to do in this department.
The good news is that Barcelona continues to be one of the best attacking teams in the world.
And for that, it’s been a team effort.
