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Barcelona identify Sterling, Cavani and Werner as January loan targets

Barcelona have identified Raheem Sterling, Edinson Cavani and Timo Werner as potential loan targets for the January transfer window, Marca reports.

The Catalan giants have made a dismal start to their La Liga campaign, and they are currently lying ninth on the table, 11 points adrift of leaders Real Sociedad.

The club is under transition after the shock exit of Lionel Messi, but they could find themselves in a situation where they may miss out on Champions League football.

Aside from Messi, they parted ways with Antoine Griezmann this summer, and there has been a significant void in attack during the first half of the campaign.

Memphis Depay has been a good addition to the attack, but Luuk de Jong has disappointed. His loan stint from Sevilla could be terminated soon.

Meanwhile, Sergio Aguero is out for the long-term with a heart concern, while it is unclear when Martin Braithwaite could return after his knee injury in September.

The Blaugrana are keen to reinforce their attack with temporary deals this winter and have their sights on three Premier League stars in Sterling, Cavani and Werner.

Sterling has endured a tough campaign with Manchester City. The England international has been restricted to just three starts in the top-flight this season.


Meanwhile, Cavani has suffered a similar fate at Manchester United. He has been a regular on the bench this term after Cristiano Ronaldo’s homecoming.

Timo Werner is also being monitored by the Blaugrana, but the German appears in a better space at Chelsea, having redeemed himself before his hamstring injury last month.

Werner went through a difficult spell at the start of the campaign after Romelu Lukaku’s arrival, but Thomas Tuchel later played him in a front two alongside the Belgian.

All three players remain key players at their respective clubs. Cavani could be the most viable target for the Blaugrana, with his contract expiring at the end of the season.

Sterling was on their radar during the summer. There were discussions over a swap deal involving Ousmane Dembele, but the forward was content to remain at the Etihad Stadium.

However, he could now be open to joining the Catalan giants amid his limited game time. It is unclear whether City will entertain his exit on a potential loan-come-buy agreement.

The club face a tough challenge in defending their league title, and it won’t come as a surprise if they decide to keep the England international until next summer before selling him.

It could be a similar case with Werner. The German has struggled to score regularly for the Blues, but he has made up for it by contributing assists and creating chances for his teammates.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com.

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