At least five players finished the League knowing that Xavi Hernandez does not have them. Barça summoned them to find a team for next season. Other players went on vacation knowing that they do not have a guaranteed place in the squad, that their continuity will depend on the offers received and the final configuration of the group. Few, very few footballers have the unconditional support of the coach.
Before saying goodbye to everyone, Xavi informed those involved if they belonged to the different categories that the coach verbalized in one of the last press conferences. “There are untouchable, transferable and non-transferable players”, described the coach. Without giving names, aware that more than one of his pupils can change columns.
The sporting situation and, above all, the economic one, design a hair-raising market for Barça. In particular, for Mateu Alemany, the director of football in charge of carrying out the signing and transfer procedures by delegation of Xavi and Joan Laporta, the president. Nearly 40 footballers are more or less involved in the procedures that are carried out in the Barça offices.
Alemany, the main executive of the entity, in the absence of a general director, has closed six signings that cannot be executed. Not even the two that will arrive with the letter of freedom: Chelsea’s Andreas Christensen Y Franck Kessie of Milan. Barça cannot register them. The League does not allow it because, he maintains, he has crossed the salary limit, estimated at an expense of 70% of the budget.
“Barça’s wage bill is 560 million & rdquor ;, he specified on Friday Edward Romeo, economic vice-president of Barça. The budget for this campaign is 765 million and, at the moment, it will not be met. It is 73% of the expense. The League reported that the Barça excess was 144 million, being the only First Club with negative numbers. According to the employer’s rules, for every three euros that Barça spends, you can spend one.
Subtract really, has subtracted the sale of Philippe Coutinho to Aston Villa (the 20 million transfer fee and the player’s file) and the record of Ousmane Dembélé will remain, who has finished his contract and that Xavi has insisted on renewing. Not only because he believes in the striker’s potential, but because his replacement will be more expensive, since it will involve a transfer fee. Also leaving Barça is Ferran Jutglà, whose transfer to Bruges reported 4.5 million, and Luuk de Jong and Adama Traoré, who were on loan.
“There is a plan A, a plan B, a plan C…” recognized Jordi Cruyff, who will soon be officially appointed technical secretary, alluding to Barça’s operational difficulties. To the economic gap of one of the three most expensive squads on the planet and that is not, by any means, one of the most competitive in Europe, is added the opposition of the footballers to renegotiating their contracts, when not the refusal to leave, even knowing that they do not count towards the trainer.
Xavi overtook Neto Murara, Óscar Mingueza, Samuel Umtiti, Riqui Puig and Martin Braithwaite who have no future at the Camp Nou. But they all have a valid contract (Net, Mingueza and Puig until 2023, Braithwaite until 2024 and Umtiti until 2026) and they do not give it up. “I’m having a great time at Barcelona & rdquor ;, Braithwaite told a Danish newspaper. The striker has barely played 5 games out of a possible 53.
They, at least, are clear that they have to look for life. Others have only been hinted at. Like Clément Lenglet, who is in deals with Tottenham. Or Sergiño Dest. Frenkie de Jong can be part of plan A, B or C. A good offer would induce Barça to transfer him even though Xavi has Frenkie. His departure would require the signing of a similar midfielder in the coach’s claim to have two players per position. The same goes for Memphis Depay.
Four captains, four cases
The captains make up a very delicate chapter in its entirety, although each one of them contains a very particular situation. Sergio Busquets is indisputable for Xavi. Jordi Alba is because he is the only left back and someone is looking for him to compete with him: there are no means to replace him with a signing at his level.
Gerard Piqué generates so much solvency on the lawn like restlessness out of him for his intense private life. In addition, it will be the most expensive token of the next two seasons with a lot of difference compared to its peers. He will make him the highest paid central defender in the world. Sergi Roberto is endorsed by his versatility and the salary reduction that he has assumed. The low cost of Dani Alves and the attitude that the Brazilian gives off suggest the renewal.
Uncertainty surrounds two of the most highly regarded appearances of the season. While Gavi has not yet renewed, Nico González has ceased to have a presence and influence in the team. The one with Pedri and Ansu Fati, pillars of the future like Ronald Araujo, Eric Garcia and Ferran Torres.
Among the thirty long players on the payroll, there are those on loan who return. The only one who stays where he is is Antoine Griezmann. But Miralem Pjanic returns from Besiktas, who did not execute the 40 million purchase option and Rei Manaj ends his loan from Spezia, who will have to pay 2.7 million to keep it. The Italian club negotiates a free transfer. Alex Collado from Granada and Francisco Trincao from Wolverhampton return.
Fixed, transferable and discarded
The long list of players managed by Barça can be distributed in several columns. There are players who are permanent (Araujo, Pedri, Ansu Fati…), others who are transferable, either because the club does not have them (Net, Riqui Puig, Umtiti, Mingueza, Braithwaite), or because they are likely to be transferred (Frenkie de Jong)), given the need for money.
Two players have been transferred (Coutinho and Jutglà), three have finished their contract (Dembélé, Luuk de Jong and Adama), but there are five on loan of which four are returning, for the moment (Rey Manaj, Pjanic, Collado and Trincao), and Griezmann will continue at Atlético. There are two youngsters already signed for Barça Atlètic (Emre and Torre) and two for the first team: Christensen (Chelsea) and Kessié (Milan).
❗️[ÚLTIMA HORA]
✍️ Agreement for the incorporation of Pablo Torre
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Transfers closed
In addition to the signings of Christensen and Kessié, not yet officialized, those of the youngsters have been closed and announced Emre Demir (Kaseyrispor from Turkey) Y Pablo Torre (Racing Santander) who will have a record with Barcelona Atlètic.
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“The circumstances of the club are what rule, we depend on the economic situation & rdquor ;, explained Xavi almost a month ago. The coach’s concern has skyrocketed. None of the six footballers who have been promised and who cannot be registered have arrived. The six are the minimum that the coach expects to aspire to a title. He wants more.
Laporta’s board of directors has not yet opened the way for income to flow in reinforcements, and there is growing concern that some of them get tired of waiting for Barça.