Barcelona will look to make the most of the World Cup break over the next month or so to sketch out their plans for the January transfer window.
Gerard Pique’s retirement earlier this month means that the Catalans will free up a large chunk of the salary mass which should help them recruit new players in the winter and register them.
On top of that, the sale of Memphis Depay could further grant the club funds and more room on the wage bill to bring in reinforcements in the upcoming window, reports SPORT.
It is no secret that the Blaugrana have had brushes with La Liga’s Fair Play policies over the past year and that has affected their plans in the transfer market. But Pique’s retirement should give the club some leeway as far as the wage bill and registration of players is concerned.
Beyond that, if Barcelona manage to get rid of Depay as well, the club could be in a solid position to go after more than one target in the January window, states SPORT.
The 28-year-old forward, whose current market value is around €20 million, has fallen way down the pecking order at Spotify Camp Nou this season. Prior to getting injured in September, the Dutchman had played just three games in 2022/23.
Given that he has no prominence in the side, Barça would be happy to let him go in the January window. And the player himself could be open to a switch as long as he has offers from a ‘top team’.
In that regard, the upcoming FIFA World Cup could play a key role in how Depay’s future pans out. A strong run with the Netherlands could lead to suitors vying to sign him in January – a scenario that would be welcomed by both Barça and the attacker himself.
With less than a year left on his contract, the Blaugrana might not be able to get a large sum from his sale. But, in the current situation, every penny matters for the club while they would also be getting rid of his wages as well.