Football News

Luka Jovic backed to play for Barcelona

By Ben Green

Published: 14:46, 21 March 2019 | Updated: 22:40, 20 September 2022

Serbia manager Mladen Krstajic believes Eintracht Frankfurt striker Luka Jovic has the ability to play for Barcelona amid fervent interest.

Jovic has attracted plenty of interest from oversees following a sensational season that has yielded 15 Bundesliga goals at the Commerzbank-Arena.

Could Jovic join Barcelona? Five key things to know…

  1. Following the sale of Munir in January, Barcelona have just one senior striker available, in Luis Suarez.
  2. With Suarez now 32, manager Ernesto Valverde may seek to find a long-term replacement in the summer.
  3. As such, Jovic has been linked with a move to the Camp Nou, with the club reportedly willing to table a £43m offer.
  4. Jovic is currently on loan at Frankfurt from Benfica but the German club have an agreement to sign him permanently at the end of this season.
  5. It is believed, once he is signed permanently, the club will only entertain an offer in the region of £60m.

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The 21-year-old has netted a further seven goals in the Europa League and that form has now been transmitted to the international stage after he opened his Serbia account against Germany on Wednesday.

Speaking after the 1-1 draw at the Volkswagen Arena, in which Leon Goretzka’s 69th minute goal cancelled out Jovic’s opener, national manager Krstajic has now tipped his star striker for Barcelona.

“I’m not his agent so I do not know that,” Krstajic replied when asked about the club’s reported interest.

“But he certainly has the potential to play at such a club [Barcelona].”

The former Werder Bremen and Schalke 04 defender further lauded Jovic’s performance against Joachim Low’s new-look XI, but then quickly turned his attention to the nation’s Euro 2020 qualifying match against Portugal on Monday.

He added: “Luka Jovic played really well today. He showed his potential. As for the game against Portugal, we still have to see.

“It does not matter if [Aleksandar] Mitrovic plays or not. Maybe we’ll play there with two strikers.

“Portugal are the favourite in our group, but we are not scared of any opponents.”

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Busy summer for Barca

With Suarez the club’s only out-and-out senior striker, Valverde will likely bolster his attacking ranks this summer, which could signal the signing of Jovic.

Should a move transpire then the 21-year-old Serbian marksman will join Ajax midfielder Frenkie De Jong who has already agreed to join the club for £65m.

Teenage Toulouse defender Jean Clair Todibo has also joined the Barca ranks, having signed a pre-contract agreement with the club in January, where he was set to relocate to Catalonia in July upon the expiration of Toulouse deal before the La Liga giants pushed the transfer forward on January 31.

The club could be set for a summer of huge spending with uncertainty also surrounding Philippe Coutinho, who has been linked with a move back to the Premier League, with Manchester United a reported interest.

This could therefore prompt a move for Saul Niguez who has been rumoured to favour a move from Atletico Madrid to Barcelona, but Manchester City now look bound to secure his services.