There will be a big cleaning in Barcelona next summer. Mundo Deportivo writes that during a ‘revolution’ fourteen players can look forward to another club. The Spanish sports newspaper specifically names eight names that may leave next summer: Neto, Samuel Umtiti, Junior Firpo, Miralem Pjanic, Matheus Fernandes, Martin Braithwaite, Sergi Roberto and Philippe Coutinho.
President Joan Laporta is working on a renovation of the selection, prompted by the results of the past weeks. Due to a defeat against Granada (1-2) and draws against Atlético Madrid (0-0) and Levante (3-3), Barcelona will most likely miss out on the national title. Only half of the current selection has been labeled ‘not for sale’, which means that a busy summer is expected. The necessary space must be created in the salary and transfer budget.
Neto is the first name given by Mundo Deportivo is called. The stand-in of Marc-André Ter Stegen was taken over from Valencia on paper for 26 million euros in the summer of 2019, although Jasper Cillessen took the opposite direction at the time. The same goes for Pjanic, who was brought in around Arthur Melo in a trade deal with Juventus. The midfielder, who on paper cost sixty million euros, hardly gets to play under Ronald Koeman. If the Dutch coach stays on, Pjanic’s departure is inevitable, according to the sounds from Spain.
At Umtiti (acquired from Olympique Lyon for 25 million euros in 2016), Firpo (acquired from Real Betis for 18 million euros in 2019), Fernandes (acquired from Palmeiras for 7 million euros in 2020), Braithwaite (in 2020 for 18 million euros acquired from Leganés) and Coutinho (acquired from Liverpool for 135 million euros in 2018), Barcelona seems to suffer a (significant) loss in any case. The reason that Sergi Roberto can look forward to a new club has to do with his contract that is still running until mid-2022.
With the temporary or permanent departure of these players, Barcelona must in any case make room in the salary budget to bring in some transfer-free reinforcements. Sergio Agüero, Georginio Wijnaldum, Memphis Depay and Eric García have long been linked to a transfer-free transfer to Barcelona. Marca even reported on Thursday that Depay has already reached an agreement with Barcelona, although this is under one important condition: that Koeman will also be on the bench at the Camp Nou next season.