Lemar is basicly very similar player to Phil. His main positions are LW and LCM, while he can also play RCM, RW and a 10. Very versatile player. Also, nothing wrong with buying another creative CM. Especially with Iniesta retiring soon and situations like now, when both Iniesta and Phil are injured. We need another Iniesta type of player more than Griezmann, because Denis and Gomes are simply not Barca material.
Heir to Rakitić should be Alena, ideally. Similar height.
Then imagine when all players are fit.
Where will you play Messi, Luis, Dembele, Lemar, Iniesta, Rakitic, Busquets.
Not to mention Alena, Gomes, Denis, Rafinha?
Also, Lemar plays in the same area as Coutinho and Iniesta.
People are mentioning on other topics that we can't bench 150m Dembele.
But then, we also won't be able to bench 100-120m Lemar.
Unless if you are planning to play with Messi-Suarez-Dembele, Coutinho-Lemar-Busquets.
That sounds awesome on Fifa, but is contrary to everything which has Ev built with his balanced 442.
I would personally rather play with proven 442 even with players like Paulinho, Rakitic and Gomes than going to a kung fu crazy 433 with 5 attacking players.
Ev has shown how efficient we can be even with only 1-2 attacking players in our team.
Remember how many times Lucho's Msn struggled to score.
While Ev's 442 without attackers hasn't scored only against Juve and Cdr Espanyol (with subs).