Manchester United Striker Wants To Join Barcelona Next Summer: Should Xavi Get Him On Board? | OneFootball

In a recent report, Fichajes revealed that Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani wants to join Barcelona as a free agent next summer. It is understood that the Uruguayan forward, whose contract at Old Trafford is set to expire at the end of this campaign, is dreaming of a move to the Catalan outfit later this year.

Cavani’s Limited Role In English Football This Season

Cavani has been a sporadic presence in Man United’s starting XI during this campaign following Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival last summer. The 34-year-old has only featured in 12 matches for the Mancunian club this season, scoring two goals in the process on all fronts.

The Salto-born talent has made a lot of his league appearances as a substitute which could be why he is only averaging 1.8 shots, 0.3 key passes and 0.5 dribbles per 90 minutes in Premier League football. However, he deserves credit for linking up play well with others around him in the final third after making 77.2% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).

Manchester United’s Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani (C) appeals to English referee Michael Oliver (L) after Villa score a goal which was subsequently disallowed during the English FA Cup third round football match between Manchester United and Aston Villa at Old Trafford in Manchester, north-west England, on January 10, 2022. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

The 4th Official uses images provided by the following image agency:

Getty Images (https://www.gettyimages.de/)

Imago Images (https://www.imago-images.de/)

Should Barcelona Boss Xavi Get Cavani On Board Next Summer?

Cavani is an experienced forward who can still score some important goals for his team in the final third when he is playing with confidence on the field. He is quite clever with his movements inside the opponent’s penalty area and can set up a few promising chances for his teammates up top.

The 126-time Uruguay international can still do a decent job when spearheading the attack with someone or on his own. However, father time is slowly but surely catching up with Cavani’s game so he won’t be a long-term fix to Barca‘s goal-scoring problems at the Nou Camp.

Still, Xavi would be wise to devise a way to get the Uruguayan sensation on board when he becomes a free agent at the end of this season. He will be a low-risk, short-term acquisition for the Catalan outfit and could help them compete for a trophy or two in the coming seasons.