Madrid, July 29: Current champions FC Barcelona are currently training in England. Under the guidance of coach Hansi Flick, the team is preparing for the new La Liga season, aiming to defend their title.
Robert Lewandowski has departed following the end of his contract, while Joao Cancelo and Marcus Rashford have returned to their former clubs after their loan periods concluded.
According to reports from Xinhua, Barcelona has gained more financial flexibility compared to previous years after removing Lewandowski’s salary from their wage bill. The club has already signed England winger Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United and German forward Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund. They aim to revamp their attack, which will once again revolve around Lamin Yamal.
However, Barcelona still has significant work to do before starting their league title defense against Elche on August 23. More player movements are expected before the transfer window closes.
Barcelona is keen to bring Cancelo back but must first negotiate with his current club, Al-Hilal. If a deal cannot be reached, the Spanish champions may look to acquire another full-back. Hector Fort made an impression during his loan at Elche, although his campaign was cut short due to a shoulder injury. This versatile defender will have the chance to prove he deserves a spot in Flick’s first-team squad.
Racing Santander’s full-back Jorge Salinas is also being linked with Barcelona, although reports suggest that the Segunda Division club is reluctant to sell one of its academy players. Julian Alvarez remains a top attacking target for Barcelona. The club has not hidden its interest in the Argentine forward, who has indicated he wishes to leave Atletico Madrid.
Atletico has expressed frustration over Barcelona’s public pursuit of Alvarez, stating that any deal would require the Catalan club to meet the striker’s reported release clause of €500 million (approximately $570 million).
A potential compromise could involve Ferran Torres moving in the opposite direction as part of the deal. Torres boosted his credentials with Spain during the World Cup and has yet to agree on a new contract with Barcelona, leading to speculation about his future.
The likelihood of several players departing is also increasing. With the arrivals of Gordon and Adeyemi, Swedish winger Runar Bardghji’s future has become uncertain. Barcelona is expected to consider loaning him out or facilitating a permanent transfer with a buy-back clause.
Alejandro Balde’s development as a left-back has not met expectations over the past two seasons. Reports suggest Barcelona is open to listening to offers for him as the club needs funds to sign more players.
Midfielder Marc Casado finds himself in a similar situation; he has fallen behind Marc Bernal in the pecking order. A substantial transfer fee could be secured for Casado, and he may leave the club by the end of August, even though Frenkie de Jong will miss the early months of the season due to a knee injury.
The futures of Marc-André ter Stegen and Ronald Araujo are also unclear. However, resolving these cases could provide financial benefits for Barcelona, given that both are among the club’s highest earners.
With the arrival of Joan Garcia, ter Stegen has slipped down the goalkeeping priority list, while Araujo’s season has been significantly affected by injuries and mental health issues.
Leave a Comment