The Blaugrana club hopes to solve the future of Umtiti and Memphis and find out if Aubameyang leaves
There is a summit with De Jong in days, while the cases of Dest and Braithwaite are rocked
Barça will face a dizzying end of the market in which the absolute priority is the departures to be able to face the desired signings with enough salary margin. The director of football, Mateu Alemany, is trying to accelerate the casualties and it is likely that three players will already define their future in 48 or 72 hours. Barça has eleven days and six players on the market: Umtiti, Braithwaite, Memphis, Aubameyang, Frenkie de Jong and Dest are the hot potatoes that will mark the new squad.
Alemany wanted to define the departure from Memphis to Juventus this weekend, which has been complicated by the player’s economic demands on the Italians, but the club sees the issue as reducible and assumes that the Dutchman will leave. Who is also practically out is Umtiti, in a bizarre loan operation that will take him to Lecce. If nothing goes wrong, the center-back will be at his new club this Tuesday.
With Aubameyang there is more calm because Barça is not going to undersell the player. Chelsea’s offer is not enough, but they hope that this issue will be defined for better or worse in a maximum of 72 hours. Barça has already made the decision as a club to sell him if Chelsea reaches 25 million euros in cash and they believe that anything is possible.
The other three issues are much more complicated. In the middle of the week there is a summit with Frenkie de Jong and her agents to reiterate the ultimatum they made a few days ago: either the salary is lowered almost fifty percent or you must accept one of the offers you have. Manchester United and Chelsea are still pending, but it seems that the player wants to continue and could make some gesture, albeit reluctantly. Everything will be known this week.
The last two cases are more complicated. Sergiño Dest already knows that he will not play for Barça this season because Xavi does not have him, but the winger is reluctant to leave unless he receives an irrefutable offer. United are following him closely, but he has not taken the final step and the other offers do not appeal to him. Barça prioritizes selling him, but they no longer rule out the transfer because the range would open up a lot.
With Braithwaite the issue remains the same and the Danish striker seems not interested in negotiating anything with anyone. With the possible departures of Aubameyang and Memphis he believes he may have a chance, but the club wants him out. If this were so, it is likely to end with a termination of contract.