Barcelona are reportedly planning to sell five players in order to raise €100 million and make room for Lionel Messi, who could return to Camp Nou this summer. The Argentine superstar left the Catalan club last year after his contract expired and joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer. However, his future at PSG is uncertain as he has not signed a new deal with the French giants and could become a free agent again at the end of the season.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are keen to bring Messi back to his former club and reunite him with his old friend and coach, Xavi. However, they face several financial and regulatory obstacles that prevent them from signing him without reducing their wage bill and complying with La Liga’s salary cap rules. La Liga president Javier Tebas has warned Barcelona that they need to cut their expenses by €200 million if they want to register Messi for next season.
Barcelona has identified five players who could be sold in the summer transfer window to achieve this goal. Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres, Raphinha, Franck Kessie, and Eric Garcia. They arrived at Camp Nou last year but have failed to establish themselves as regular starters under Xavi. They are also among the highest earners at the club and could generate significant income from their sales.
Ansu Fati is one of the most talented young players in the world and has a €1 billion release clause in his contract. However, he has struggled with injuries and form this season and has fallen out of favour with Xavi. His father also expressed dissatisfaction with his son’s situation and hinted at a possible exit. Several clubs, including Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, want to sign him.
Ferran Torres was signed by Manchester City in January 2022 for €65 million but has not met expectations. He has scored only four goals in 22 appearances for Barcelona and has been overshadowed by other attackers such as Memphis Depay, Ousmane Dembele, and Yusuf Demir. He could return to England, where Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool monitor his situation.
Raphinha was another expensive signing for Barcelona last summer, as they paid €65 million plus add-ons to Leeds United for his services. The Brazilian winger has been inconsistent this season, despite scoring nine goals and providing nine assists in 41 games across all competitions. He has also been linked with a move back to the Premier League, where Arsenal, Newcastle United, and Chelsea are keen on him.
Franck Kessie joined Barcelona on a free transfer from AC Milan last summer but has not been able to cement his place in Xavi’s midfield. He has played only 724 minutes of La Liga football this season and has been overshadowed by Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, and Nico Gonzalez. He could return to Italy, where Inter Milan are interested in signing him.
Eric Garcia also arrived at Camp Nou on a free transfer from Manchester City last summer but has found it hard to break into Xavi’s defence. He has made only 11 appearances in La Liga this season and has been behind Gerard Pique, Ronald Araujo, and Clement Lenglet in the pecking order. He could also leave Spain, where Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keen on him.
Barcelona hope that by selling these five players, they can raise enough money to sign Messi and also reduce their wage bill significantly. They are currently leading La Liga by 11 points and are also in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. They will face Atletico Madrid at home this weekend in a crucial clash for the title race.
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