Who is Serhou Guirassy and why does Hansi Flick want him at Barcelona?

Hansi Flick is a powerful admirer of Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy and desires to carry him to Barcelona, in accordance with a brand new report from Bild.

With Robert Lewandowski probably headed for an exit subsequent summer season, there’s an expectation that the Blaugrana will transfer to signal a striker. After earlier rumors linking the Catalan membership to the likes of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez, the Guinean ahead is the newest to hitch the checklist.

Over the previous few seasons, Guirassy has established himself as the most effective center-forwards within the European prime 5 leagues. In the course of the 2024-2025 marketing campaign, his first with The Black and Yellow, Guirassy scored 21 objectives in 30 league appearances, ending second behind solely Harry Kane within the race for the highest scorer award.

On the European stage, Guirassy put collectively a stellar 2024-2025 marketing campaign within the Champions League, scoring 13 objectives, 5 of which got here towards the Blaugrana, in 14 appearances, a tally solely equalled by Barcelona’s Raphinha.

Who’s Serhou Guirassy? Identify: Serhou Yadaly GuirassyDate of beginning: 12 March 1996 (age 29)Citizenship: GuineanHeight: 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)Most well-liked foot: RightPosition: Striker

Born in Arles, France, to Guinean dad and mom, Guirassy got here up by the ranks of assorted lower-division golf equipment in France’s Pays de la Loire area earlier than making a transfer to Ligue 1’s Lille in 2015.

After back-and-forth transfers between Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga, Guirassy’s breakout got here in the course of the 2023-2024 season, taking part in for VFB Stuttgart. The Guinean worldwide scored 28 objectives in as many video games, marking the most important xG overperformance (7.15) within the league that season, per Opta, and breaking the membership file of most objectives in a league marketing campaign, beforehand held by Mario Gòmez.

The very first thing that stands out about Guirassy’s profile is his versatility contained in the field. Dortmund’s #9 can punish defenses in some ways.

Within the air, his timing and top typically enable him to outjump defenders and get on the tip of crosses. Per Fotmob, Guirassy received a powerful 114 aerial duels in the course of the 2024-2025 Bundesliga season at a 54% price, putting him within the ninety fifth percentile amongst Bundesliga center-forwards.

In these cases, Guirassy persistently locations his headers with energy and precision. This season, two of his 4 league objectives thus far have come from headers, the primary of which got here towards St Pauli.

The very first thing that stands out about Guirassy’s profile is his versatility contained in the field. Dortmund’s #9 can punish defenses in some ways.

Within the air, his timing and top typically enable him to outjump defenders and get on the tip of crosses. Per Fotmob, Guirassy received a powerful 114 aerial duels in the course of the 2024-2025 Bundesliga season at a 54% price, putting him within the ninety fifth percentile amongst Bundesliga center-forwards.

In these cases, Guirassy persistently locations his headers with energy and precision. This season, two of his 4 league objectives thus far have come from headers, the primary of which got here towards St Pauli.

With the ball at his ft, Guirassy is surprisingly agile contemplating his 6ft2 body. Even in congested areas, he can take small touches to catch defenders off guard and create capturing angles on both foot.

As soon as in a capturing place, Guirassy is as environment friendly as they arrive. Within the final Champions League season, an impressive 32% of his shot makes an attempt resulted in objectives, per Opta.Guirassy’s motion is one other standout characteristic. In crossing conditions, he’ll typically use intelligent faux runs to create gaps within the opponent’s protection, after which place himself to rack in uncontested tap-ins.

Towards much less conservative blocks, Guirassy can also be a keen runner, continually providing harmful runs into the house behind the protection. Although he’s not the quickest, Guirassy’s sense of timing typically permits him to catch defenses off guard.

When analysing Guirassy’s strengths, it’s straightforward to know why Flick is, reportedly, eager so as to add him to the Blaugrana facet.

Guirassy is a whole striker with a confirmed monitor file of placing the ball behind the online. His ability set would properly complement some gamers’ in Barcelona’s entrance line, most notably Lamine Yamal’s, along with his excellent crossing skill.

From a system perspective, the Guinean has in depth expertise taking part in as a lone striker in each 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 setups, Flick’s two go-to shapes as far as the Barcelona supervisor.

Guirassy is comfy serving as a standard goal man, however may also drop deeper to open house for his teammates. His beneficiant work price out of possession can also be price declaring, notably in context with Flick’s most popular high-pressing fashion.

In some ways, Guirassy’s profile is sort of just like the participant he could possibly be changing, Barcelona center-forward Robert Lewandowski, a similarity identified by former Dortmund supervisor Nuri Sahin.

“He has an analogous profile to Robert Lewandowski and Harry Kane”, he instructed Sport Bild. “They aren’t solely outlined by their objectives, but in addition change the statics of the sport. They know when to drop, methods to create hyperlinks on the pitch.”

So far as areas of enchancment, Guirassy’s low help figures (2 previously league marketing campaign) could possibly be one thing to observe. The striker has proven flashes of efficient link-up play on events, however extra consistency can be key to take his associative play to the following stage.

The Smart Monetary Alternative?

An necessary issue to think about with a possible Guirassy switch is the comparatively cheaper value. Different rumored Lewandowski replacements, similar to Haaland and Alvarez, would undoubtedly value exorbitant quantities.

With uncertainty nonetheless surrounding the Blaugrana’s return to Camp Nou, there isn’t a assure that Barcelona shall be able to afford their providers. Guirassy, then again, would most likely be a fraction of their price ticket.

Whereas there have been earlier studies of Dortmund fixing a 100m price ticket for golf equipment looking for to signal Guirassy, Sky has reported a particular launch clause within the €60-75m vary, obtainable to a couple choose golf equipment, together with Barcelona.

So whereas the Guinean striker most likely wouldn’t be as thrilling a signing as different targets, this eventuality, for now, is probably the most pragmatic.

In the end, as has been customary for the previous few switch home windows, visibility on Barcelona’s subsequent summer season plans will probably stay restricted till the tip of the season. Till then, the rumors will hold swirling.