Unwanted Barcelona striker has asked to continue as an ’emergency forward’

Barcelona are staring at the prospect of parting ways with their top goalscorers from last season imminently as both Memphis Depay and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could be on their way out of Camp Nou.

Depay is edging closer to a transfer to Juventus, with a move likely to be finalised as early as today. As for Aubameyang, talks over a transfer to Chelsea are underway, with the 33-year-old likely to return to London less than eight months after leaving Arsenal.

Such a scenario would leave Barcelona short on options in the No. 9 role, posing a quandary for the club.

And, as per SPORT, out-of-favour striker Martin Braithwaite has offered himself as an emergency solution for the club as they prepare to bid goodbye to their top scorers from the last term.

Braithwaite had arrived at Barcelona in February 2020 as an emergency signing due to injuries but has fallen out of favour at the club ever since Xavi Hernandez took over the reins.

The Dane was asked to leave the club in January but refused to do so and has again been reluctant to depart, despite being told that he is not in the manager’s plans going forward.

The 30-year-old has rejected all offers that have come for him so far while he has also demanded that Barça pay his full two-year salary if they wish to terminate his contract.

But with Depay and Aubameyang now closing in on an exit, Braithwaite sees it as an opportunity for himself to force his way back into Xavi’s plans as Barcelona will be short of options in the No. 9 role.

However, despite his request to continue at Camp Nou, Barça are unlikely to entertain such an idea. It is said that the club are very angry with the Dane and his agent for making his exit complicated this summer and have no interest in offering him a way back into the roster.

Xavi can always rely upon Ansu Fati or Ferran Torres to play through the middle, while the idea of adding a new low-cost striker is not off the table either.

So, despite Braithwaite’s wish to continue, it does not seem likely that Barcelona would consider handing him another shot.