Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman outlines January transfer window plans

Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman admitted that the Blaugrana are on the lookout for players to bolster their squad in the January transfer window. The Dutch tactician, however, conceded that the final decision will be made by the club officials, with teams across the continent still feeling the financial ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking ahead of Barcelona's La Liga encounter against Athletic Club (quotes via Marca), Koeman claimed that he has already drawn up a shortlist of January transfer targets.

"I have made a list of possible weaknesses and players that I think it would be interesting to bring in. Any coach always looks to the month of January as a time when the squad can be improved. I am no different, but it depends on the club."

"The team tries to play in the same way whether we are at home or away. We want to create danger and have opportunities to score, but away from home we haven't had the effectiveness that a team like Barcelona should have."

"We have also made mistakes in defense, we're a team that creates a lot of chances, but our conversion percentage is very low."

Live thread: Ronald Koeman's press conference ahead of tomorrow's game with Athletic Club. pic.twitter.com/4aTRmkMMdY

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) January 5, 2021

Barcelona might need to sell before they buy in January

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Barcelona have been linked with the likes of Memphis Depay, Eric Garcia and Gini Wijnaldum in recent months, with Koeman keen on adding more depth and quality to his squad. However, the Catalan giants already have an enormous wage bill and might need to offload a few players to make room for potential incomings.

Young midfielder Carles Alena is close to joining Getafe on a short-term loan deal, while there are question marks over the futures of Mattheus Fernandes and Samuel Umtiti. La Masia graduate Riqui Puig was also linked with a temporary move away from the Camp Nou, but the Spaniard looks set to stay at the club for the time being.

❗ Riqui Puig wants to stay at Barça and not go out on loan. He wants to succeed and convince Koeman that he deserves a place on the team. Puig's contract ends in 2021 with 2 optional years. He's tied to the club until 2023 [sport] pic.twitter.com/44BvYK78r5

— FCBarcelonaFl (@FCBarcelonaFl) January 5, 2021

Barcelona are 10 points behind league leaders Atletico Madrid and face an uphill battle to regain their La Liga crown.

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