Xavi bids for Al Sadd veteran with 169 goals in 165 games
Martin Macdonald
- 23 Nov 2021 14:33 GMT
- 5 min read
Barcelona head coach Xavi is desperate for attacking reinforcements in the January transfer window and good look to former club Al Sadd.
Luuk de Jong is clearly not trusted, Martin Braithwaite won't be Xavi's cup of tea, while there are doubts as to whether Sergio Aguero will even be able to play again after receiving medical assessments over a heart problem.
As a relatively short-term solution to Barca's attacking issues, Xavi will reportedly target Al Sadd striker Baghdad Bounedjah, who has scored a marvellous 169 goals in 165 games in Qatar.
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It would naturally be a massive step up from Qatar to Spain, but Diario Sport reports that Xavi is keen on a reunion with the player he previously coached.
How good is Bounedjah?
Bounedjah is now 29-years-old so is already a veteran of the striker craft, as you can tell from his outstanding goalscoring statistics.
It remains to be seen whether he can perform in La Liga, too, but the fact he has worked under Xavi before is promising.
He is by no means just a goalscorer as he works hard in pressing, can hold up the ball, and also possesses a decent turn of pace.
Algerian football newspaper Le Fennec quotes Xavi as saying of Bounedjah:
"Bounedjah can play in any club in Europe.
"Our striker Baghdad Bounedjah is an excellent player and brings us a lot both on the offensive and even on the defensive level. I am proud of him and of all the players on the team."
How much would Bounedjah cost?
According to Diario Sport, he would cost around €8 million.
