Barcelona's ‘Priority’ to Relieve ‘Pressure’ on Lamine Yamal, Raphinha | OneFootball

Plans are already in motion at Barcelona to reinforce the squad that completed the first domestic treble in club history. One area Barça decision makers want to address is the front line, specifically targeting a player that can ease the creative and goalscoring burden of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.

In the aftermath of Barcelona's 4–3 victory over Real Madrid in the final El Clásico of the season, sporting director Deco spoke to ESPN and admitted that he felt that at times this season, Barcelona were too dependent on Yamal and Raphinha.

“Sometimes we can feel to dependent on Lamine [Yamal] and Raphinha. Maybe we need to bring in similar players, a solution for them,“ Deco said.

The former Barcelona player and Portugal international isn't wrong on his assessment considering the two starting wingers have scored or assisted 102 of Barça's 171 goals across all competitions in 2024–25. The pair are also in the top three for most minutes played for the Catalans this season.

Especially in the home-stretch of the campaign, when 36-year-old Robert Lewandowski started struggling for fitness and form, Barcelona became increasingly reliant on what Yamal and Raphinha could create and convert in the final third.

The solution? Barcelona are reportedly exploring the market in search of wingers that can also play as strikers if needed, similar to what Raphinha and super-sub Ferran Torres have done this season.

A Mundo Deportivo report indicates a player Barcelona are following closely is Liverpool's Luis Díaz. The Colombian is a traditional left winger but has played as a striker for the majority of 2024-25 with the Reds. The 28-year-old contributed with 13 goals and five assists to Liverpool's Premier League title-winning season.

Another alternative that's been widely reported is Manchester United's Marcus Rashford. After falling out with manager Ruben Amorim, Rashford spent the second half of the season on loan at Aston Villa. The writing's on the wall for United to move on from Rashford permanently this summer, with Barcelona a possible destination.

Whether it's Díaz, Rashford or another quality winger, Barcelona look set to reinforce what's been the most potent attack in Europe's top five leagues during 2024–25 for next season.