What Is Barcelona Still Missing? The Final Transfer and Squad Questions
After90
Report 5 — Barcelona 2026–27: The Next Step
Barcelona have already answered several of the biggest questions of the summer.
Robert Lewandowski has gone.
Anthony Gordon has arrived.
Karim Adeyemi has arrived.
Jesse Bisiwu has joined the attacking group.
Marc-André ter Stegen has moved to Ajax on loan.
Ronald Araújo has left for Liverpool on loan.
And just as Hansi Flick appeared to have enormous attacking depth, Roony Bardghji suffered a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
Barcelona’s official first-team list now contains two goalkeepers, seven defenders, seven midfielders and seven forwards.
That sounds balanced.
But squad building is not about counting players.
It is about counting solutions.
And as Barcelona approach the competitive season, the question is no longer:
Have they improved?
They clearly have.
The real question is:
Is the squad complete enough to win the Champions League?
Because there is an important difference between having enough players to survive a season...
and having the right profiles to solve every problem that elite football can create.
1. Barcelona Do Not Need Another Transfer Window Revolution
This should be established immediately.
Barcelona do not need five more players.
They do not need another superstar simply because the market is still open.
They do not need to rebuild a squad that has already won consecutive league titles.
The current official first-team group includes:
Goalkeepers
- Joan García.
- Wojciech Szczęsny.
Defenders
- Alejandro Balde.
- Pau Cubarsí.
- Andreas Christensen.
- Gerard Martín.
- Jules Koundé.
- Eric García.
- Héctor Fort.
Midfielders
- Gavi.
- Pedri.
- Fermín López.
- Marc Casadó.
- Dani Olmo.
- Frenkie de Jong.
- Marc Bernal.
Forwards
- Ferran Torres.
- Lamine Yamal.
- Raphinha.
- Roony Bardghji.
- Anthony Gordon.
- Karim Adeyemi.
- Jesse Bisiwu.
There is quality.
There is youth.
There is flexibility.
There is competition.
And there is enough attacking talent to create several completely different versions of the team.
Barcelona therefore do not need quantity.
They need precision.
2. The Biggest Question Is Now Centre-Back
Ronald Araújo’s loan to Liverpool changes the squad more than the raw numbers suggest.
Barcelona did not simply lose another defender.
They temporarily lost a very specific defensive profile.
Araújo leaves after 213 appearances for the club and will spend the entire 2026–27 season at Liverpool.
What did he give Barcelona?
- Recovery speed.
- Physical dominance.
- Aggressive defending.
- Strength in open spaces.
- Aerial power.
- One-on-one security.
- The ability to survive when the structure broke down.
Those qualities are particularly important in Flick’s system.
Why?
Because Barcelona defend high.
And when the press fails, defenders may suddenly be asked to defend:
Forty metres of space.
That is a very different task from defending inside your own penalty area.
3. Barcelona Have Centre-Backs — But Do They Have the Right Combination?
The current senior options include:
- Pau Cubarsí.
- Andreas Christensen.
- Eric García.
- Jules Koundé when required.
- Gerard Martín as another defensive option.
There is no shortage of intelligence or technical quality.
Cubarsí can break lines.
Christensen provides calmness.
Eric can step into midfield.
Koundé can defend centrally.
But the question is physical.
Who replaces Araújo when Barcelona face:
- An explosive striker.
- A powerful transition team.
- A Champions League opponent attacking the space behind.
- A match in which the counter-press repeatedly fails?
This is where Barcelona’s first remaining squad question appears.
Do they need another fast, physically dominant centre-back?
For us, the answer is:
Probably yes — if the right player exists.
4. But Signing “A Centre-Back” Is Not Enough
This distinction matters.
Barcelona should not buy a defender simply to increase the number from seven to eight.
The player would need to offer something the squad currently lacks.
Ideally:
- Elite recovery speed.
- Comfort defending a high line.
- Strong one-on-one defending.
- Good aerial ability.
- Competence under pressure.
- Enough passing quality for Barcelona.
- Tactical intelligence.
- Ability to defend large spaces.
Bonus:
The ability to play both centre-back and right-back.
That would give Flick enormous flexibility.
A player like that could:
protect Cubarsí,
rotate with Koundé,
cover injuries,
and make the high line safer.
If that profile is unavailable?
Barcelona should keep their money.
Because a mediocre eighth defender does not solve the problem.
5. Cubarsí Cannot Be Asked to Solve Everything
Pau Cubarsí may already be Barcelona’s defensive reference.
But that creates another danger.
Dependence.
He is still extremely young.
Barcelona cannot enter a 55- or 60-match club season believing that Cubarsí must:
- Start every major match.
- Organise the build-up.
- Defend large spaces.
- Cover defensive mistakes.
- Remain physically fresh.
- And arrive in April and May at his best.
That is too much.
Elite squad construction is partly about protecting your best players from being required to solve every problem.
Barcelona need Cubarsí for the decisive months.
Not simply for every available minute.
6. Christensen’s Fitness Becomes Extremely Important
Andreas Christensen now carries greater responsibility.
At his best, he fits Barcelona extremely well.
Calm.
Positionally intelligent.
Excellent in possession.
Comfortable receiving under pressure.
Strong in the air.
But availability matters.
If Barcelona want to rely on Christensen as a primary partner for Cubarsí, his ability to remain available becomes strategically important.
Because the difference between:
Cubarsí + Christensen + Eric
and:
Cubarsí + Eric with improvised alternatives
is enormous across a long season.
This is another reason a defensive addition would not necessarily be unnecessary luxury.
It could be insurance against structural vulnerability.
7. Eric García May Become One of the Squad’s Most Valuable Players
Not necessarily the most famous.
Not necessarily the first name in the XI.
But perhaps one of the most useful.
Eric García can potentially cover:
- Centre-back.
- Defensive midfield situations.
- Right-back structures.
- Back-three build-up.
- Matches requiring additional passing quality.
Players like this become extremely valuable in a season with injuries, suspensions and tactical variation.
He gives Flick options without requiring a substitution.
That matters.
Barcelona should therefore be careful when evaluating squad depth only through “starters” and “bench players.”
Sometimes the most valuable squad player is the one who allows three different systems to function.
8. Right-Back Is Good — Until Koundé Is Missing
Jules Koundé gives Barcelona a high-level starting right-back.
No major problem there.
The problem begins when he is unavailable.
Héctor Fort is talented.
Eric García can cover.
The system can also be adjusted.
But there is still a clear difference between:
Koundé available
and:
Koundé unavailable in a Champions League knockout match.
This is another argument for a defender capable of covering both right-back and centre-back.
One signing.
Two problems addressed.
That is intelligent squad construction.
9. Left-Back Depth Is Better Than It Looks — But Still Not Ideal
Alejandro Balde is the clear attacking reference.
Behind him, Gerard Martín provides another option.
Barcelona can also alter the structure and ask the left-back to play more conservatively.
So this is not an emergency.
But Balde’s athleticism gives the system something difficult to reproduce.
His ability to:
- Carry the ball.
- Overlap.
- Recover defensively.
- Stretch the pitch.
- Attack open space.
changes Barcelona’s left side.
If he misses an important period, the team may need to play differently.
That is manageable.
But it reinforces a recurring theme:
Barcelona have depth in numbers.
The question is whether they have depth in profiles.
10. Goalkeeper Is No Longer a Problem
This is one area Barcelona should leave alone.
The official squad lists:
- Joan García.
- Wojciech Szczęsny.
Ter Stegen has joined Ajax on loan until June 2027.
Joan García enters the season as the natural long-term reference.
Szczęsny provides:
- Experience.
- Reliability.
- Dressing-room presence.
- A credible alternative.
There is no need to complicate this position.
Sometimes the correct transfer decision is:
Do nothing.
11. The Midfield Looks Crowded — Because It Is
Look at the options:
- Pedri.
- Frenkie de Jong.
- Gavi.
- Dani Olmo.
- Fermín López.
- Marc Casadó.
- Marc Bernal.
Seven midfielders.
Several can perform multiple functions.
At first glance, another midfielder appears unnecessary.
And under most circumstances:
It is.
Barcelona already possess:
Control
Pedri.
Ball progression
De Jong.
Aggression
Gavi.
Between-the-lines creativity
Olmo.
Box running
Fermín.
Defensive structure
Casadó.
Natural holding-midfield potential
Bernal.
That is an excellent collection.
12. But Barcelona Still Lack One Very Specific Midfield Profile
The question is not:
Do Barcelona need another midfielder?
The answer to that is probably no.
The better question is:
Would an elite physically dominant defensive midfielder improve the squad?
That answer is more interesting.
Imagine a midfielder who combines:
- Defensive range.
- Physical power.
- Duel dominance.
- Press resistance.
- Positional discipline.
- Passing security.
Such a player could make Barcelona more secure in Europe.
But this would need to be a genuine upgrade.
Not simply another body.
Because signing another midfielder who needs minutes could actually create more problems than it solves.
13. Marc Bernal Could Make That Entire Debate Irrelevant
This is why patience matters.
Marc Bernal is already in the first-team squad and is naturally suited to the deeper midfield role.
If he develops as Barcelona hope, he could become exactly the profile Flick needs.
A midfielder who:
- Protects the centre.
- Allows Pedri to move higher.
- Provides physical presence.
- Holds position.
- Helps the rest defence.
- Gives Barcelona a true anchor.
So before spending heavily on another midfielder, Barcelona should answer:
How much do they believe in Bernal?
If the internal answer is “a lot,” then the correct transfer strategy may simply be patience.
14. Casadó Is Another Reason Not to Overreact
Marc Casadó offers a different version of the same argument.
He brings:
- Tactical discipline.
- Energy.
- Positioning.
- Ball circulation.
- Pressing intensity.
He may not provide the physical dominance of an elite destroyer.
But he gives Flick a genuine holding-midfield option.
Combined with Bernal, Barcelona already have two players capable of occupying that space.
So midfield should not be the first place the club spends money.
Not unless an exceptional opportunity appears.
15. The No. 9 Question Has Not Disappeared
This is the biggest attacking debate.
Report 3 asked whether Barcelona could replace Lewandowski collectively.
That remains the plan.
The current forward group includes Ferran Torres, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Gordon, Adeyemi and Bisiwu, while Roony Bardghji remains listed but has now suffered a serious ACL injury.
Adeyemi can play centrally.
Gordon has experience as a centre-forward.
Ferran may become the primary penalty-box option. Gordon and Adeyemi were both recruited in part for their positional versatility.
So Barcelona can absolutely begin the season without signing a new No. 9.
But the question remains:
What happens when movement and speed are not enough?
16. The Match That Will Restart the No. 9 Debate
Imagine this.
Champions League quarter-final.
Second leg.
Barcelona need one goal.
Minute 78.
The opponent is defending with:
- Five defenders.
- Four midfielders.
- No space behind.
- Twenty players within 30 metres of goal.
Gordon’s transition speed matters less.
Adeyemi cannot attack depth because there is none.
Lamine is double-marked.
Barcelona are crossing repeatedly.
That is the moment everyone will ask:
Where is the penalty-box striker?
This does not automatically mean Barcelona must sign one now.
But it explains why the question will not disappear.
17. Ferran Torres May Determine Barcelona’s Transfer Decision
Ferran could make the entire No. 9 debate irrelevant.
If he can provide:
- Consistent goals.
- Strong box movement.
- Near-post attacks.
- Central occupation.
- Pressing.
- Combination play.
then Barcelona may already have enough.
The mistake would be judging him according to whether he becomes another Lewandowski.
That is not the requirement.
Barcelona do not need:
40 goals from Ferran.
They may need:
20–25 from Ferran plus distributed scoring from everyone else.
That could be enough.
18. Adeyemi Is a No. 9 Option — But Not a No. 9 Solution for Every Match
Karim Adeyemi can operate centrally, something Barcelona explicitly highlighted when completing his transfer from Borussia Dortmund.
But his strengths are heavily connected to:
- Speed.
- Depth.
- Acceleration.
- Transition.
- Movement behind the line.
Against a high defensive line?
Excellent.
Against a deep five-man block?
Different challenge.
This is why positional versatility and tactical completeness are not the same thing.
Adeyemi gives Barcelona a central option.
He does not automatically solve every central-forward problem.
19. Gordon Should Not Be Turned Into a Striker Just Because He Can Play There
Anthony Gordon has centre-forward experience, and Barcelona themselves noted that he could fill the role.
But his greatest potential value may still come from the left.
Why remove:
- His ability to isolate full-backs?
- His direct running?
- His diagonal attacks?
- His transition threat?
- His ability to balance Lamine on the opposite side?
just to fill another position?
Versatility should create options.
It should not force players away from the positions where they are most dangerous.
20. Roony’s Injury Changes the Depth Calculation
Before August 11, Barcelona’s attacking depth looked almost excessive.
Then Roony Bardghji suffered a ruptured ACL in his right knee and was scheduled for surgery.
That matters.
Not necessarily because he was expected to start.
But because depth is tested by accumulation.
One injury.
Then another.
Then international duty.
Then suspension.
Then fixture congestion.
Suddenly a position that looked overloaded becomes thin.
Roony’s injury therefore changes the conversation slightly.
But not enough, in our view, to justify signing another winger.
21. Why Barcelona Still Do Not Need Another Winger
Even without Roony, Flick can use:
Right
- Lamine Yamal.
- Raphinha.
- Adeyemi.
Left
- Anthony Gordon.
- Raphinha.
- Adeyemi.
- Jesse Bisiwu.
Flexible
- Ferran Torres.
- Gordon.
- Adeyemi.
Jesse Bisiwu joined from Club Brugge on a deal through 2031, with Barcelona highlighting his pace, power and dribbling ability.
Barcelona have enough wide options.
The correct response to Roony’s injury should be:
Give the existing depth more responsibility.
Not automatically buy another player.
22. Bisiwu Should Be Allowed to Be a Prospect
There is another squad-management issue.
Jesse Bisiwu is 18.
He should not immediately be judged by whether he can replace an established international.
That is not why a club signs one of Europe’s interesting young wingers.
The objective should be:
- Development.
- Controlled minutes.
- Cup opportunities.
- Selected league appearances.
- Late-game exposure.
- Learning Flick’s pressing requirements.
- Gradual tactical integration.
Barcelona’s young-player pathway is one of the club’s greatest competitive advantages.
They should use it.
23. The Biggest “Signing” May Actually Be Workload Management
This is easy to underestimate.
Barcelona sent a huge number of players to the 2026 World Cup, with the club reporting 16 representatives at the tournament and a record number reaching the latter stages.
That means several important players are entering the club season after an unusual summer.
Pedri.
Lamine.
Cubarsí.
Gavi.
Olmo.
Ferran.
Joan García.
Koundé.
Gordon.
And others.
Barcelona therefore face a hidden squad-building problem:
Fatigue.
No transfer fixes that.
Rotation does.
24. Flick Must Stop Thinking in Terms of an Untouchable XI
The squad is now designed for rotation.
Barcelona should use it.
Lamine does not need every minute.
Pedri does not need every minute.
Cubarsí does not need every minute.
Koundé does not need every minute.
The objective is not having the strongest XI available in October.
It is having them available in:
April and May.
That means giving serious minutes to:
- Gavi.
- Fermín.
- Casadó.
- Bernal.
- Eric.
- Gerard Martín.
- Fort.
- Bisiwu.
- Adeyemi.
- Ferran.
Squad depth only matters if the coach trusts it.
25. Barcelona Must Avoid the Superstar Trap
There is always temptation at a club like Barcelona.
A famous player becomes available.
A major name appears in the market.
Supporters imagine the shirt.
Social media explodes.
Suddenly the question becomes:
How can Barcelona sign him?
Instead of:
Does Barcelona actually need him?
Those are completely different questions.
The club’s squad now needs surgical improvement.
Not marketing improvement.
Every new player must answer at least one of these:
- Does he solve a clear tactical weakness?
- Does he provide a profile the squad lacks?
- Does he materially improve the first XI?
- Does he protect several positions?
- Does he increase Barcelona’s chances of winning in Europe?
If the answer is no:
Do not sign him.
26. If Barcelona Make One More Signing, What Should It Be?
For us, the priority order is clear.
Priority 1 — A Fast, Physically Strong Centre-Back
Preferably capable of playing right-back as well.
Why?
Because Araújo’s departure removes a rare physical profile.
Because Flick plays high.
Because Cubarsí needs protection and rotation.
Because Koundé should not be the emergency answer to every defensive problem.
This is the clearest weakness.
Priority 2 — An Elite No. 9, But Only if the Opportunity Is Exceptional
Not any striker.
Not a backup simply because Lewandowski left.
Barcelona should only move if the player is:
- Elite.
- Financially sensible.
- Compatible with pressing.
- Comfortable in positional football.
- Capable of attacking the box.
- Young enough to fit the project.
Otherwise:
Trust Ferran, Adeyemi and the collective scoring model.
Priority 3 — Full-Back Depth
Especially a defender who can cover more than one position.
But this is secondary if Flick trusts Fort, Gerard Martín and Eric.
Priority 4 — Defensive Midfield
Only if a truly exceptional profile becomes available.
Because Barcelona already have Bernal and Casadó.
Another average midfielder would create congestion, not improvement.
27. What Barcelona Definitely Do Not Need
Another creative midfielder
Pedri, Olmo, Fermín and Gavi already provide plenty.
Another winger
Even after Roony’s injury, the options remain strong.
Another goalkeeper
Joan García and Szczęsny are enough.
A superstar without a clear role
This is perhaps the most important one.
A famous name does not automatically make the squad stronger.
Balance matters more.
28. The Squad’s Real Weakness Is Not Talent
This may be the key conclusion.
Barcelona do not lack:
- Talent.
- Creativity.
- Speed.
- Technical quality.
- Young players.
- Attacking options.
What they may still lack is:
Defensive insurance.
and perhaps:
Penalty-box certainty.
Those are very specific problems.
And specific problems require specific solutions.
Not another transfer-market revolution.
29. The Ideal Final Squad Structure
If Barcelona make one defensive addition, the group could become remarkably complete.
Goalkeepers
Joan García / Szczęsny
Strong.
Defence
Koundé / new CB-RB profile / Cubarsí / Christensen / Eric / Balde / Gerard Martín / Fort
Much safer.
Midfield
Pedri / De Jong / Gavi / Bernal / Casadó / Olmo / Fermín
Elite variety.
Attack
Lamine / Raphinha / Gordon / Adeyemi / Ferran / Bisiwu
Plus Roony once recovered.
Enough.
30. The Transfer Window Should Now Be About Opportunity, Not Panic
Barcelona have already done the transformative work.
Gordon changes the left side.
Adeyemi changes the team’s speed.
Bisiwu gives another young attacking option.
The goalkeeper hierarchy has become clearer following Ter Stegen’s loan.
Araújo’s departure has opened the only significant structural hole.
So the final weeks of squad planning should not be frantic.
Barcelona should wait.
Assess.
Observe.
And move only if the right player becomes available.
That is what mature squad construction looks like.
Final Assessment
| Area | Current Status | Need |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Strong | None |
| Starting centre-backs | High quality | Good |
| Physical/recovery CB | Weaker after Araújo loan | High priority |
| Right-back | Koundé excellent | Depth desirable |
| Left-back | Balde + Gerard Martín | Acceptable |
| Deep midfield | Bernal / Casadó / De Jong options | Monitor |
| Central creativity | Elite | None |
| Wide attack | Excellent depth | None |
| Transition threat | Elite potential | None |
| Traditional No. 9 | Unclear | Opportunity-dependent |
| Penalty-box presence | Ferran carries responsibility | Monitor |
| Young-player depth | Excellent | Develop internally |
| World Cup fatigue | Major issue | Rotation required |
| Overall squad quality | Elite | Minor refinement |
| Biggest transfer priority | — | Fast, physical CB |
Conclusion
So what is Barcelona still missing?
Less than it may appear.
They do not need another revolution.
They do not need another collection of famous names.
They do not need to win the transfer window.
Barcelona already have enough attacking talent to score against almost anyone.
They already have one of Europe’s most technically gifted midfields.
They have a goalkeeper ready to become the long-term No. 1.
They have Lamine Yamal.
Pedri.
Gavi.
Cubarsí.
Gordon.
Adeyemi.
Raphinha.
Olmo.
Ferran.
The foundation is there.
But Champions League squads are often defined not by what happens when Plan A works.
They are defined by what happens when:
the press breaks,
the starting defender gets injured,
the opponent refuses to leave space,
the best midfielder is tired,
or Barcelona must protect a one-goal lead in the 85th minute.
That is where the remaining questions live.
If Barcelona can add one elite defensive profile, manage their World Cup-heavy squad intelligently and prove that their collective attack can replace Lewandowski’s penalty-box certainty...
then there may be very little left to fix.
The final transfer decision should therefore be simple:
Do not sign the biggest name available.
Sign the missing solution.
And if that solution is not available?
Do nothing.
Because sometimes the final step in building an elite squad is knowing when the squad is already good enough.
Barcelona 2026–27: The Next Step
The rebuild is not the question anymore.
Now Barcelona must decide whether the final piece is already inside the squad...
or still waiting in the market.