Revealed: Barcelona open to offers for recent signings
This may hark back to reports that Leo Messi would only sign a new deal if certain elements (Jordi Alba, Andre Gomes) were offloaded, or indeed to the Cules’ limited spending ability.
The Catalans are in a bit of transition at the moment. Despite beating Real Madrid in a barnstormer on Sunday to reopen the Liga title race, the Cules showed all their limitations by losing to PSG (4-0) and Juventus (3-0) without putting up much of a fight.
As we’ve written on this page before, it looks like Robert Fernandez and his staff have struggled to bring in reinforcements at many positions, even feasible starters. There are plenty of areas on the pitch where there is no competition.
El Mundo Deportivo have listed the players they believe Barcelona will build around for the future: Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is in, having showed some good things over the last few months. He’ll receive a new deal.
The Catalans are counting on Samuel Umtiti and Gerard Pique to form a partnership in the middle. Though Fernandez really likes Mascherano (offering him a new deal last summer), there’s little else there. While Sergi Roberto is considered to be the future on the right (he had a great run against Madrid), Aleix Vidal has been injured for part of his season and has struggled.
Beyond that, Sergi Busquets and the MSN (Messi, Suarez, Neymar) are untouchable, while legend Andres Iniesta will have to make his own decision.
Beyond that, Barca are ready to negotiate. Though nobody is officially on the block, any player not among the ones we’ve just listed could leave for the right price.
This seems to include recent signings Lucas Digne, Paco Alcacer, Gomes and Denis Suarez, as well as veterans Jeremy Mathieu and Ivan Rakitic.
@EdoDalmonte