Barcelona are staring at an uncertain summer ahead as they look to strengthen the squad ahead of next season, but at the same time, adhere to the Financial Fair Play rules in La Liga.
It is believed that the club need to reduce a whopping ̇€200 million from the salary budget this summer, which could force them to find ways to generate revenues. One of the solutions will be to offload unwanted players for a profit in the coming summer.
Here, at Barça Universal, we will take a look at five Barcelona players that are in contention to be offloaded, should the club look for fresh funds.
Eric Garcia
Barcelona have been largely successful with the summer acquisitions of Jules Kounde and Andreas Christensen. Both have emerged as critical to Barça’s defensive unit while the success of Ronald Araujo, especially after returning from injury, have not gone unnoticed either.
In the midst of all this, Eric Garcia has emerged as one of the victims. The former Manchester City starlet has lost prominence in the squad and his below-par performances have not helped either.
Therefore, Barcelona might consider cashing in on Garcia in the coming summer, especially with speculations linking them with a move for other centre-backs such as Inigo Martinez and Juan Foyth.
Ferran Torres
Ferran Torres was one of Barça best performers when they beat Cadiz 2-0 at the weekend. He made a strong impression in the final third, which left Xavi extremely happy. The player himself revealed how delighted he was to have made an impact on the pitch, especially after a bad start to the season.
However, the performance against Cadiz is not enough to justify Barcelona’s signing of Torres. Another former Manchester City star, the Spaniard has been below par this season, scoring just twice in the league so far.
This could potentially lead Barcelona to consider a sale for Torres in the coming summer, especially if the attacker continues to maintain his form during the remainder of the campaign. Torres, who arrived at around ̉€55 million, could be an attractive option for other clubs in the summer, thus enabling the club to make a profit.
Jordi Alba
Recent reports suggest Barcelona are considering a sale of Jordi Alba. It is barely surprising either, as the veteran appears to have fallen behind Alejandro Balde in the pecking order.
This has played a role in reducing Alba’s utility in the squad, which is not ideal considering the fact that the veteran is one of the highest-paid players in the team. A departure, therefore, could greatly be useful for Barcelona, in their attempts to reduce the wage bill.
Not to mention, Alba’s contract at Camp Nou expires in 2024 as well, which should only convince the club to sanction his sale further.
Raphinha
Much like Ferran, Raphinha has struggled to fulfil his potential since joining the club Leeds United. He, too, has struggled with productivity this season and has lacked the consistency to make himself a first-team regular under Xavi Hernandez.
The recent injury of Dembele did lead to more opportunities for Raphinha. But the Brazilian is yet to fulfil that potential, so it would not come as a surprise to see the club consider the offers for the former Leeds United attacker after the end of the season
Franck Kessie
Perhaps the most obvious one on this list, Franck Kessie’s exit from Camp Nou appears to be the most likely one as the midfielder has barely been a part of the first-team.
Kessie was even close to leaving the club in January but the move did not materialize. And even though the Ivorian since had opportunities to prove himself, he simply failed to do so and it is seemingly inevitable that she will leave the club.