Barcelona’s economy is sad and they have to sell a number of players this transfer window.
Wait, all this sounds very familiar …
Oh yes! That’s right, Barca placed virtually the entire squad on the transfer list after their 8-2 humiliation defeat of Bayern Munich last summer. They managed to free Ivan Rakitic, Arturo Vidal, Luis Suarez, Nelson Semedo and Rafinha, but they are still in disarray.
Due to La Liga’s salary cap rules, Barcelona now have to release € 200 million (£ 170 million) from their salary costs to register one of their new signings – and that includes current free agent Lionel Messi.
Players will need to make pay cuts across the board and there will be some tough talks for club president Joan Laporta to make this transition window. Fortunately for him, I have made some of them for him, even without reliable sources to tell me how much these players actually earn. No need to thank me, Joan!
Here are the players that Barça need to sell in order to sign Messi and register Sergio Aguero and Memphis Depay.
Busquets has been in Barcelona since 2005 / Aitor Alcalde Colomer / Getty Images
Age: 32 (soon to be 33, but he’s 32 until he’s 33, so it works)Position: DMPossible destinations: MLSEstimated annual salary: 10 Michus
Roy Keane’s assessment of Busquets during Euro 2020 perfectly sums up the midfielder: “He can not run, can not tackle, but in a possession-based team he passes forward and nine times out of ten he makes the right choice.”
Unfortunately for Busquets, he earns a lot of money and is on his way back. Barcelona must make money.
Griezmann never really got started on Barcelona / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
Age: 30Position: CF / LW / RWPossible destinations: Man City, PSGEstimated annual salary: 1,500,000 copies of Football Manager
Barcelona’s quest for Tony G has always been strange. He plays in exactly the same position as Messi, but if he does not, you have to shoehorn him and get half the player he can be. Does not really sound like a wise use of 120 million euros.
Fortunately for Barça, Man City can be prepared to take Griezmann out of their hands when looking for alternative forward options to Harry Kane. It would be a huge drop for Blaugrana if that were the case.
Poor Pjanic has only been at the club for one season / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
Age: 31Position: CMPossible destinations: Tottenham, JuventusEstimated annual salary: 840,000,000 Freddos
Why is Pjanic in Barcelona again? Yes exactly. They basically swapped him with Arthur so that they and Juventus could balance their books. Good, boys.
A good player in the highest degree without a doubt, but Barça are well-stocked in midfield and, as you have probably guessed by now, can do with moving their salaries.
Dembele has been on the sidelines for much of his time in La Liga / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
Age: 24Position: RW / LWPossible destinations: PSG, Arsenal, TottenhamEstimated annual salary: 2400,000 Fortnite skins
Injuries have been the course of Dembele’s Barça career, and he has often been linked to a move from Camp Nou. With the club in desperate need of funds, now is the right time for him to move on. try to prove to be a success elsewhere.
Coutinho recovers from knee surgery / Alex Caparros / Getty Images
Age: 29Position: AM / LWPossible destinations: Milan, Everton, PSGEstimated annual salary: 80,000 Borussia Dortmund season tickets
Dear Sir, What a sad little signing, Barcelona.
Not many teams can claim to have spent nine figures on a player who then went on to score against them in an 8-2 loss while still under contract with the club. Coutinho’s Barça incantation has been a disaster and agent Kia Joorabchian has already been commissioned to find him a new club.
It’s been a long time since Umtiti had a set of games under their belt / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
Age: 27Position: CBPossible destinations: Arsenal, Lyon, ZenitEstimated annual salary: 2400,000 downloads of the winning song in the France World Cup on iTunes
Poor Umtiti has been ravaged by injury in recent years and has only played 49 games for Barcelona in the last three seasons.
But this is a heartburned business. Barcelona need the money much more than they need another player who rarely ever fits.
Neto is a backup to Marc-Andre ter Stegen / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
Age: 31Position: GKPossible destinations: ArsenalEstimated annual salary: 43,000 Gunnersaurses
Apparently Arsenal want Neto? Err, okay, sure. Take him. Thank you for stopping by.
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