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

How things stand: Wing attackers

(at the end of the season, Barça Transfer Zone looks forward to the coming transfer summer making an analysis for each position, in part 7 we look at the wing attackers)

2007-2008
On the right wing, Giovani dos Santos (19) got a lot more playing time than expected due to the two serious injuries of Lionel Messi (20). Bojan (17) and Eto'o also moved away from the centre to the right side a few times this season.

First choice on the left wing Ronaldinho (28) had a season full of injuries and was rarely fit and on top of his game. Andrés Iniesta (24) and Thierry Henry (30) were the players who used to replace him. Santiago Ezquerro (31) did not get many opportunities.

Out
Despite interest from Chelsea and Inter, Messi will certainly stay. The situation of Giovani is not clear. He could leave on a loan or a permanent deal. Manchester City, Inter and Chelsea are rumoured to be interested. Both players could also be used more on the left wing next season.

Ronaldinho will most probably leave in the summer. AC Milan is the main candidate for the transfer, with Manchester City and Inter Milan as the most important challengers. The contract of Ezquerro expires in June and the player didn't receive a renewal offer.

In
Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich - 24), who can play on both wings, is probably the main candidate but is very unlikely to leave the German champions after one year. The other name that has been sticking out is left winger David Silva (Valencia - 22).

Further there were rumours about Hatem ben Arfa (Lyon - 22), Diego Capel (Sevilla - 20), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United - 23), Andrés Guardado (Deportivo La Coruña - 21) and Mancini (AS Roma - 27). Gai Assulin (17) could be promoted from the Barcelona B team.


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

How things stand: Attacking midfielders

(at the end of the season, Barça Transfer Zone looks forward to the coming transfer summer making an analysis for each position, in part 6 we look at the attacking midfielders)

2007-2008

Looking at the numbers, Xavi was clearly the central figure in this department over the almost past season. The three pairs who played the most this years in official games are Xavi-Iniesta (17 starts), Xavi-Deco (16 starts) and Xavi-Gudjohnsen (15 starts).

Out

Iniesta (24) will certainly stay and although Xavi (28) has recently been linked with Chelsea, it can be expected that he won't leave either. Depending on the tactical choices of new Barcelona manager Guardiola, both players could be pulled back a line.

Deco (30) and Gudjohnsen (29) look like they're on their way out, although both players don't seem very enthusiastic about the idea. Especially Deco could play it hard and only leave under his conditions. Deco has been linked with Bayern, Milan, Inter, Juventus, Newcastle and Atlético Madrid. Gudjohnsen is rumoured to be on the lists of Portsmouth and Newcastle.

In

Many names are circling around for these positions but none of them is really sticking out at this moment. Players that have been mentioned are, amongst others, Cesc (Arsenal - 20), Diego (Bremen - 23), Aquilani (Roma - 23), Lampard (Chelsea - 29), Hleb (Arsenal - 27), Van der Vaart (Hamburg - 25) and Lucho (Porto - 27).

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

How things stand: Defensive midfielder

(at the end of the season, Barça Transfer Zone looks forward to the coming transfer summer making an analysis for each position, in part 5 we look at the defensive midfielder)

2007-2008

He was the least known of the four transfers last summer, but Ivorian defensive midfielder Yaya Touré (24) established himself from the start as a key player in the team. If he was not fit or during the Africa Cup he was replaced by Rafael Márquez (29), Andrés Iniesta (23) or José Edmílson (31), who was injured during the first part of the season.

Out

The contract of Brazilian defensive midfielder Edmílson, who arrived in 2004 from Olympique Lyon, expires in June and will not be renewed. In the last months the player has been linked with clubs like Betis, Besiktas and Villareal. Mexican central defender and defensive midfielder Márquez could also leave (read more here).

In

Barcelona had planned to bring in a solid back-up for Touré. But it is now to be seen what the effect of the appointment of Josep Guardiola as the new Barcelona manager will be on how this position will be filled in. If Guardiola wants to bring back the 'pivote', the playmaker before the defence that he has been during his career, it could well be that Xavi or Iniesta, who were formed at this position, could be pulled back.

Olympique Lyon midfielder and Barcelona loan out Marc Crosas (20), who was nicknamed "the new Guardiola" (both for the position he played as for the physical resemblance), has now probably more chance to come back, despite having said he would prefer to stay at least one more year at Lyon.

This could also cause Barcelona to look for another type of player. Barcelona has been linked with players like Christian Poulsen (Sevilla - 28), Seydou Keita (Sevilla - 28), Daniele De Rossi (Roma - 24), Stéphane Mbia (Rennes - 21) and David Albelda (Valencia - 30), but Guardiola could well prefer a player like Xabi Alonso (Liverpool - 26).

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

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

How things stand: Left back defender

(a few weeks before the end of the season, Barça Transfer Zone looks forward to the coming transfer summer making an analysis for each position, in part 4 we look at the left back defender)


2007-2008
With Giovanni Van Bronckhorst leaving for Feyenoord last summer, newly transferred French international Eric Abidal (28) became this season the first choice on the left back position. Sylvinho Mendes (34) did not get many chances but proved to be a solid back-up. Gianluca Zambrotta (31) was not used at the left.

Out
With only a not confirmed rumour about Liverpool, Abidal is expected to stay at the club next season. And if Sylvinho (who was linked with AS Roma) accepts the one-year renewal offer by the club, everything could stay the same as far as the left back position is concerned.

In
With Abidal and Sylvinho most probably staying, there have been no rumours about left back defenders possibly joining Barcelona. If Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich - 24) is signed as right back defender, he could also be used at the left.



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

How things stand: Central defenders

(a few weeks before the end of the season, Barça Transfer Zone looks forward to the coming transfer summer making an analysis for each position, in part 3 we look at the central defenders)

2007-2008
Like was expected in the beginning of the season, the central pair Puyol-Milito started the most games until now. Due to injuries, this was nevertheless only the case in 18 games. The other most used pairs were Márquez-Milito (12 starts), Thuram-Milito (11 starts) and Thuram-Puyol (9 starts). Oleguer played only in the beginning of the season a few times as central defender.

Out
With Carles Puyol (30) and Gabriel Milito (27) no doubt going to stay, French international Lilian Thuram (36) will leave Barcelona at the end of the season. Since his contract expires in June and will not be renewed, the player has been given the permission to start talking with other clubs. There have been rumours about Arsenal and Salzburg.

Mexican international Rafael Márquez (29) could probably leave if a good offer comes in and if the club can find someone to replace him. The defender has been linked with Inter Milan, Atlético Madrid and AC Milan. Oleguer Presas (28) has been linked with an Ajax loan deal.

In
With Thuram leaving, Barcelona wants to bring in at least one first class central defender. If Márquez would also go, that would mean a second player should be transferred for that position, although it is not impossible that a new coach could use French left back defender Eric Abidal (28) in the centre.

Barcelona's first choice was apparently Ezequiel Garay (Racing Santander - 21). It is believed that a deal with Santander was already found in the beginning of the year but that everything didn't went through in the end because of financial reasons (read more here and here).

At this moment Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo - 26) seems to be the first option and an agreement between all parties could be found in the coming weeks. Gerard Piqué (Manchester United - 21) is another player who probably has been contacted. Blocked in Manchester, the Catalan defender could return to Barcelona in the summer.

Other players that have been mentioned are Marco Materazzi (Inter Milan - 34), Lúcio (Bayern Munich - 29), Federico Fazio (Sevilla - 21), Martín Cáceres (Recreativo - 21), Daniel Jarque (Espanyol - 25) and Samuel Llorca (Elche - 22).



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

How things stand: Right back defender

(a few weeks before the end of the season, Barça Transfer Zone looks forward to the coming transfer summer making an analysis for each position, in part 2 we look at the right back defender)

2007-2008
With Belletti joining Chelsea in late August, everything was clear at the start of the season: Gianluca Zambrotta (31) would act as regular with Oleguer Presas (28) as his back-up.

Consecutive injuries of Oleguer caused the return of captain Carles Puyol (30) for more than ten official games to the place where he started his first team career. It even looked for a while like Puyol would become the first-choice right back, with Márquez replacing him in the centre. An injury of the Mexican could have prevented this from happening.

Out
Italian international Zambrotta, whose contract expires in 2010, is almost certainly returning to his home country in the summer. A deal with AC Milan seemed close (read more here and here), but the difficult negotiations on a transfer of Ronaldinho could postpone the final agreement. Milan seems to offer between 5 and 7 million euro° for the player. There have also been rumours about Juventus and Inter Milan.

Being a good team player, Oleguer is probably not very high on the Barcelona exit list. But if the player would like to leave to have more playing time, the club would not prevent that from happening. After being linked with Lazio Roma and Wolfsburg during the January transfer window, a few weeks ago there were claims about Ajax wanting to sign the Catalan defender on loan.

In
With Zambrotta on his way out, one of the main tasks in the coming transfer window is the transfer of a top right back defender. The first choice for this position is undoubtedly Dani Alves (Sevilla - 24). If Sevilla wants to sell this time, the player is not expected to leave for less than 30 or even 35 million euro°.

Second choice is Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich - 24), whose contract with Bayern expires in 2009 and who is not planning to sign a renewal. If Bayern accepts the full back to leave, the transfer price is expected to be between 9 and 15 million euro°. Lahm can also play as left back defender.

Other players that have been mentioned are David Cortés (Getafe - 28), Rafinha (Schalke 04 - 22), Emmanuel Eboué (Arsenal - 24), Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich - 31) and Maicon (Inter Milan - 26). Central defenders Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo - 26) and Gerard Piqué (Manchester United - 21) and defensive midfielder Stéphane Mbia (Rennes - 21) have also experience on the right back position.


Read all How things stand contributions here in the coming weeks or read the contribution about:
Goal keeper - Right back defender - Central defenders - Left back defender - Defensive midfielder - Attacking midfielders - Wing attackers - Centre forward

How things stand: Goal keeper

(a few weeks before the end of the season, Barça Transfer Zone looks forward to the coming transfer summer making an analysis for each position, in part 1 we look at the goal keeper)

2007-2008
Until today, Víctor Váldes (26) has played every official game except for four. Albert Jorquera (29) played one Spanish cup game and one Champions League game, Barcelona B goal keeper Oier Olazábal (18) played one Spanish Cup game and Celta Vigo loan out José Manuel Pinto (32) made his debut last Saturday in the Liga game against Deportivo.

Out
Having had the habit over the last years to only have two goal keepers in the squad of the first team, Barcelona made a strange move earlier this year when they renewed Jorquera, whose contract expired in June, for two more years (read more here), while at the same time taking an option to buy Pinto, who was brought in on loan after Jorquera got injured last December (read more here).

Barcelona, who paid Celta 500 000 euro° for the loan deal, has to decide before the end of May if they want to make the loan deal permanent, something Barcelona would not have to pay one euro extra for. If the two-goal keepers-for-the-first-squad theory is not changed, it seems nevertheless logical that Barcelona will not use the option they have on Pinto if Jorquera recovers in time, despite claims that Pinto could well stay (read more here).

In
Although the two (or even three) available places seem to be filled, there are regularly rumours about new goal keepers that could be transferred to rival Valdés as Barcelona's first choice goalkeeper. Names that have passed in the last months are Petr Cech (Chelsea - 25), Manuel Neuer (Schalke - 22), Thomas Sörensen (Aston Villa - 31), Jussi Jääskeläinen (Bolton - 33) and Júlio César (Inter Milan - 28).

A new goalkeeper nevertheless does not seems a priority at this moment, which leads to think that the money in the first place will be used to strengthen other positions in the team and that Barcelona will start the next season with Valdés as regular and Jorquera (and/or Pinto) as his back-up.

Read the other How things stand contributions here in the coming weeks:
Goal keeper - Right back defender - Central defenders - Left back defender - Defensive midfielder - Attacking midfielders - Wing attackers - Centre forward