Barcelona’s pursuit of players like Juan Foyth and Bernardo Silva in these final weeks of the transfer market has been well documented.
But in order to attain the services of these top-quality stars, it is imperative for the club to sanction the exit of their fringe players. It could go a long way in helping them balance the books and reduce their inflated wage budget that has prevented them from registering newer players.
Memphis Depay has been linked strongly with a move to Juventus in recent weeks, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been a subject of interest for Chelsea. The same can be said for Frenkie de Jong as well, with the Dutchman seemingly falling out of favour at Camp Nou.
While the three players are expected to bring in significant revenue at Barcelona, the club are equally keen on offloading other fringe players in the team, including Samuel Umtiti and Martin Braithwaite.
According to Gerard Romero, Barça may soon even terminate the contract of the two players in order to free up space for potential new signings.
Umtiti has been with Barcelona since the summer of 2016. But the Frenchman has endured a rapid fall from grace over the past three years. It has left him falling behind in the pecking order, with no real chance of becoming a first-team option for Xavi.
While Barça are keen on offloading Umtiti, his poor injury record has put off many interested parties this summer. In order to ease his exit, the club are prepared to terminate his contract and make him a free agent.
The situation is far trickier when it comes to Braithwaite. The club had asked the forward to accept a letter of freedom and look for a new adventure elsewhere.
However, the Dane has appeared reluctant in leaving Camp Nou and he does not share a good relationship with the board members. The entire ordeal has left Barça extremely frustrated, with the club prepared to terminate his contract by the end of the month.