How things stand: Centre forward

(at the end of the season, Barça Transfer Zone looks forward to the coming transfer summer making an analysis for each position, in part 8 we look at the centre forward)

2007-2008

Due to the injury of Samuel Eto'o (27), who kept him away from playing until December, Thierry Henry (30) initially took the place in the centre. Since Henry had to move regularly to the left cause of the troubles Ronaldinho was facing, Bojan (17) got his chance up front.

Out

Bojan will certainly stay and will probably sign a renewal this summer (read more here). At this moment it looks like Henry will also stay, although he has been linked with a return to the Premier League (Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City, Newcastle, West Ham, Aston Villa), with a move to the Major League Soccer (Seattle, New York) and with clubs like Inter Milan and Fenerbahçe.

Since he declared one month ago that he would leave Barcelona if the team does not win a trophy next season (read more here), Samuel Eto'o is in the middle of a transfer storm. Tottenham would have been pushing hard for the striker but it seems for now difficult he'll end up with the club, both for economic and sports reasons. Clubs like AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, Fenerbahçe, Chelsea and Arsenal could also be following the Cameroonian.

In

Karim Benzema (Lyon - 20) is the dream candidate but will not leave Lyon in the summer. Since Guardiola was named as manager, there are rumours about him wanting to bring in a strong, tall striker, with Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal - 24) apparently being the back-up for Benzema.

Other names that were mentioned include Adriano (São Paulo/Inter - 26), Jozy Altidore (New York - 18), Amauri (Palermo - 27), Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham - 27), Diego Milito (Zaragoza - 28), Didier Drogba (Chelsea - 30), Dani Güiza (Mallorca -27), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Ajax - 24), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter - 26), Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke - 26), Luis Fabiano (Sevilla - 27), Rodrigo Palacio (Boca Juniors - 26) and David Trezeguet (Juventus - 30).

Read all How things stand contributions here or read the contribution about:

Goal keeper - Right back defender - Central defenders - Left back defender - Defensive midfielder - Attacking midfielders - Wing attackers - Centre forward

Youth: Jozy Altidore (Red Bull New York)

American sports radio talk show World Soccer Daily reports that a rumour is going around that American Major League Soccer team New York Red Bulls would be willing to let striker Jozy Altidore (18) leave to Barcelona if that would mean that Barcelona forward and French international Thierry Henry (30) would come the other way.

Asked about his favourite clubs, Altidore (who also coincidentally indicates that his favourite player is Thierry Henry) says today in an interview with American newspaper The New York Times that he admires Barcelona: "Barcelona and Arsenal. It’s the way they play, their style. When I see their games on TV, I feel like I should be paying just to watch. It’s just a joy."

Josmer 'Jozy' Altidore is an American of Haitian descent. He joined Red Bull New York in 2006, making his first team debute in August of that year. Last November he made his debute with the American national team. Altidore is considered to be one of the most talentented young strikers around and is expected to make the move to Europe in the coming summer transfer window, with several English top clubs apparently preparing for a bidding war.

Read more:
Can pay rise convince Henry?
Youth: Gai Assulin
Premier League clubs circling around Henry