Barcelona exploring Lyon's Nabil Fekir as alternative to Liverpool's Coutinho

Barcelona exploring Lyon's Nabil Fekir as alternative to Liverpool's Coutinho

Fakir es uno de los futbolistas de moda del fútbol francés
Fakir es uno de los futbolistas de moda del fútbol francés | AFP

Coutinho is still the top target but Barça are looking at other options

Fekir has been in stunning form in Ligue 1 and is also interesting Arsenal

It's no secret that Barcelona want an attacking player in January. Dembele should be back in peak fitness by February, but the coaches believe they need another type of player, too. Coutinho is the priority. But the club are also looking for other options. One player who convinced is Nabil Fekir, who has scored 11 goals in 11 games for Lyon. 

Barça know January is a tough month to move in. Much tougher than the summer. They will try to open talks with Liverpool again for Coutinho, but the English club didn't want to sell in August and won't want to sell in January. Therefore, Robert Fernandez and Urbano Ortega have scoured Europe for other options. In the Bundesliga there's Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen), but they like what they see in France better. Fekir's a player who would adapt no problem. 

Fekir's been followed all season. The 24-year-old is explosive in attack, good on the ball and gets involved in the game. Without doubt, he is someone who can make the difference. Barça have had him watched several times and have looked into how much it would cost to do a deal. 

The Catalan club are not the only side interested, though. Arsenal are also planning to make a move in January, while Real Madrid have also sent scouts. But only the Premier League club, who could lose Alexis Sanchez this winter, are planning an attack. 

Lyon president Jean Michel Aulas is a tough negotiator. But Barça signed Umtiti from Lyon. However, it would be a bigger gamble moving for Fekir, who could cost around 50 million euros. There's no doubt he's recovered from the serious knee injury he suffered in 2015, but every transfer carries its risks.