Although there have been steady improvements made at Barcelona under Hansi Flick, it’s obvious that the German hasn’t been happy with certain aspects of his squad.
That much can be seen from the signings made so far this summer.
Both Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi are renowned for their pace as well as their other attributes, and if there was one thing that Robert Lewandowski didn’t offer, it was the ability to outrun his marker or the last defender.
In 2026/27, it would appear that Barca are going
to be much more vertical in their play than they have been up to this point under the German.
Gordon’s top speed has been recorded at 37.9km per hour, Adeyemi is only slightly slower at 36.7km per hour, and Lamine Yamal has recorded 35.5km per hour.
Whether they will be the main front three is unlikely, though it’s clear that Flick intends for his wide men to set the pace and rhythm of any game. Lest we forget that Raphinha is no slouch either.
Of course, there’s still the small matter of acquiring a new striker to replace the Poland international, and that’s proving more problematic than Joan Laporta and Deco likely envisaged.
The chase for Julian Alvarez seems to have hit an immovable roadblock, whilst any interest in Bournemouth’s Junior Kroupi has also quickly been rebuffed by the Premier League side.
With no positive news on Ferran Torres at present, and PSG still circling for ‘The Shark,’ Barca are in danger of starting the new La Liga season without a recognised centre-forward.
In any event, one can expect that whoever ends up in the No.9 position will be the beneficiary of excellent service from the wide men.
What’s also interesting is how Flick intends to utilise Gordon and Ademyemi in particular.
Will they be used as regular rotation options for Raphinha and Lamine, or is the German going all in and will simply play those players who are the most in form?
It’s a tantalising prospect and, given the problems that Barca have had in defence of late, represents a real window into the coach’s school of thought as to how he might play next season.
A return to the ‘you score four and we’ll score five’ mentality makes for a very exciting possibility, and, after all, football remains an entertainment business.
With those three speedsters up front, we’re in for a wild ride in 2026/27.
