Luis Suarez remains a crucial member of Barcelona's starting XI, but that isn't stopping the Catalonian giants from planning for life without the Uruguayan.
La Blaugrana have identified Serie A top goalscorer Krzysztof Piatek and Bundesliga golden boot leader Luka Jovic as potential candidates to replace Suarez, who will turn 32 in January, according to ESPN's Sam Marsden.
With Paco Alcacer looking likely to complete a permanent move to Borussia Dortmund, the club's hierarchy is monitoring a series of potential targets as Suarez nears the relative twilight of his career.
"When they say Barcelona need a new No. 9, there's nothing strange about it," Suarez said on his future earlier this month. "Obviously, they have to bring players in. I am 31 and Barca have to think, as a club, about the future. They are always going to need strikers, left-backs, or whatever position it may be."
Piatek and Jovic have been revelations for Genoa and Eintracht Frankfurt, respectively, this season, each scoring nine league goals and leading the domestic scoring charts.
At 23 and 20 years old, respectively, either burgeoning star would be an investment for the future as well as the present, a factor which increases their allure.
Piatek joined Genoa this summer after previously spending the entirety of his career in his native Poland. He has 13 goals in as many games in all competitions for the Italian club and earned his senior national team debut in September.
Benfica talent Jovic, a Serbia international, is in the second year of a two-season loan deal in Frankfurt. He has 11 goals in 13 games after scoring nine times in 27 appearances last term and made headlines last month by becoming the youngest player ever to score five goals in one game in the German top flight. Eintracht are expected to make his temporary deal permanent in accordance with a clause in the terms of the loan.
Marsden adds that the pair, along with Lille forward Nicolas Pepe, are the names atop a long list of potential attacking targets.
