Andre Silva or Memphis Depay: which forward should Barcelona sign?

It's well documented that Barcelona are in the market for another forward (if they can find the money to bring one in).

Last summer they were linked heavily with moves for Lautaro Martinez and Memphis Depay, but were unable to bring in a new attacker.

La Blaugrana have been linked with Memphis once again, but also with Bundesliga hitman Andre Silva after a fine season with Eintracht Frankfurt. Both are very different players, despite playing in the same position, so which of them would suit Barcelona more? 90min assesses which option makes more sense for the Catalan giants.

Price

Part of the reason Barcelona were so keen on Memphis last year with was the fact he was available for a cut-price fee. The Netherlands international was entering the final year of his contract with Lyon and reportedly asked to leave, but Barça couldn't stump up the cash to get it done.

With the final year of his contract now coming to an end, Memphis is expected to be available on a free transfer this summer, which would hugely entice Barcelona to return to the table for him.

Silva isn't going to be free, but should at least be relatively cheap. It's reported that the Portuguese striker is likely to be available for around €30m - which seems remarkably low considering he is currently behind only Robert Lewandowski in the scoring charts of the Bundesliga.

Taking Barcelona's financial state into account, Memphis definitely gets the nod in this category.

Winner: Memphis Depay

Versatility

Part of Ronald Koeman's system at Barcelona (or hopefully part of Xavi's whenever he takes the job instead) is for his forwards to play in a fluid formation. Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele and even youngster Pedri have all played in multiple positions throughout the season and even in the single games.

Memphis started off his career playing as a goalscoring left winger, which earned him a move to Manchester United as a youngster. As he's matured and got older, he's moved into a more central position and is essentially now seen as a striker. He still has the ability to move out wide and play slightly deeper, which would suit Koeman and Barcelona's style.

Silva on the other hand doesn't have that versatility in his game. He is a centre forward and a centre forward only. His goal record tells you he does it well too, so there is no need for him to adapt stylistically in that way, but it does mean that he'd likely struggle to play to his best in positions that weren't central.

Winner: Memphis Depay

Style of play

Memphis' game has evolved over the years, with his cruciate knee ligament injury suffered in December 2019 meaning he has lost a bit of explosiveness.

The 27-year-old is still capable of beating opposition defenders with the ball at his feet, while his off the ball movement has improved tremendously since he moved to a more central position. He has a great passing range, an excellent shot and is still a very good dribbler - all of which make him a top modern attacker.

Silva plays like a typical target man when he's at his best. He uses his fantastic physique to outmuscle opposition defenders in physical battles and is very good in the air to help his teams go more direct. He's a great finisher when put in a position to convert and has good pace and mobility, but his career tells you that he's been at his best when playing in a front two rather than up front on his own.

Winner: Memphis Depay

Adaptability

It may not be the most important thing to note, but it will definitely be a factor in which player suits the team best.

Memphis has played under Koeman before for the Dutch national team and performed really well in the central role of his attack. He will know the system already, know what is expected of him and Koeman will already trust him.

Silva, meanwhile, would need to adapt and learn an entirely new play style and system. He has however played in La Liga before, spending a season on loan at Sevilla where he scored 11 times in all competitions. Knowing the country and league is a positive that Memphis doesn't possess, but the familiarity of playing under Koeman before will without doubt make him the preferred target.

Winner: Memphis Depay if Koeman stays, Andre Silva if he goes

Conclusion

It's pretty clear that Memphis is the man Barcelona should be prioritising when it comes to an attacking target, regardless of Koeman's future.

He is a better fit for the team stylistically, is cheaper and is also just the better footballer of the two. He's the perfect age to come in and make an immediate impact and Koeman has publicly spoken before of his will to sign the player, so it's unlikely that will have changed in the last 12 months when he's had a pretty good season again.

Winner: Memphis Depay