Desperate times call for desperate measures and the times are certainly not too good for Football Club Barcelona. The Catalan Kings are on their way to bankruptcy if Joan Laporta, their president, does not find a way to settle their short-term debts by the end of the season. There are several ways he could go about this, including a loan, a sponsorship deal, or by selling a few of his players.
While a loan from Goldman Sach or a new sponsorship deal sounds more promising, Laporta might be willing to sell a few players any way to make room for some reinforcements that he is planning to bring in. Thus here are five players whom Laporta could end up selling in the summer to make some more funds for other transfer deals.
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#1 Samuel Umtiti (Age: 27 | Position: Centre-back)
The French centre-back who’s only 27 years of age had a lot of potential a few years ago. He was exceptional in the 2018 FIFA World Cup where he managed to win the prestigious tournament with France. However, ever since then his career has been on a downward spiral mostly due to the series of injuries that have plagued him. His main problem was his knee and he failed to come out of that injury the same. His performance fell drastically after his return and after waiting for a couple of years, Barca have lost their patience with Umtiti.
The player and the club both could do with a fresh start and for that reason, Laporta will be willing to sell off this World Cup winner. He could still fetch a good price as he is in his prime and has years left to play however, he will not be playing too much for the Catalans should he even decide to stay. The arrival of Eric Garcia will surely freeze him out of the team and it is just better for him to leave at the end of the season.
#2 Sergi Roberto (Age: 29 | Position: Right-back)
The 29-year-old right-back who can also play as a right-midfielder is the second person on the list whom the Catalans can let go of next season. Roberto has barely played this season due to a multitude of injuries and muscle problems. He only started nine times in the league this season and had only 17 appearances in all competitions. He still has a few years left in his boots but the way that Ronald Koeman wants to take Barcelona, Roberto does not play a huge part in that project.
The Dutch coach wants to build his team around the youths at the club and for now, Sergino Dest has captured the right-back position. According to Mundo Deportivo, Roberto has also been having some issues regarding the extension of his contract. While Laporta only wants to give him a one-year extension, the player expects a bit more. This could lead to further unpleasantries and it would be wise for the club to just sell the player as he does not have much impact on the team anymore and he would also bring a fair amount of money to the club.
#3 Miralem Pjanic (Age: 31 | Position: Midfielder)
Another player whom the Catalans must get rid of next season is Miralem Pjanic. His swap deal with Arthur Melo last season was one of the most bizarre decisions taken by ex-president, Josep Bartomeu. The former Juventus man, who is now 31 years of age, was brought in for a much younger player and it made no sense back then and it makes no sense right now either. The player has had very little impact on Barcelona’s season and he barely makes the first team.
He has made 28 appearances in all competitions so far however, he has only made 13 starts and he is mostly used as a tactical substitute. With no assists or goals to show for this season, he has been one of the most underwhelming players all season. The Catalans will not get much for the aging midfielder however, there is no point in keeping him at the club and wasting the budget on his wages. Laporta must offload him as soon as possible.
#4 Philippe Coutinho (Age: 28 | Position: Midfielder)
After winning the UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich, Philippe Coutinho came back to Camp Nou with newfound confidence. He started off the season well, getting two assists and one goal in his first three matches however, it quickly went downhill from there. He was out for two days due to a hamstring injury, however, when he came back, he could not continue for long as soon after that he suffered yet another injury, and this time he was ruled out for the season.
His injury problems have ruined his chances at Barcelona and he has been the biggest flop for the club. At the age of 28, there are still chances for the Brazilian to come back from this bad state however, it is unlikely that the Catalans will take another chance with the player and Laporta will likely sell him off in the summer transfer window. He could still be sold close to 60-70 million euros and although that would be a huge loss for the club, they must finally understand their mistake and be willing to take their losses.
#5 Antoine Griezmann (Age: 30 | Position: Forward)
Yes, Antoine Griezmann has been playing superb recently and yes, this is probably his best season with the Blaugrana however, for a fee of 120 million euros, the player is too inconsistent and could be a liability for the club down the road.
He is already 30 years old and is one of the club’s highest earners. His wages could be another reason why Laporta should look into letting him go however, the main reason why Barcelona should sell him in the summer transfer window is due to Neymar. Barca have been strongly linked with the Brazilian superstar and according to Laporta, even Neymar is considering a move back to Camp Nou. However, funding a move so big will be next to impossible unless they can sell a big-name player or get a swap deal.
Griezmann’s latest performances have certainly perked up interest in other clubs and now is the time to capitalize on the player. He could also be directly used in the transfer for Neymar as a swap deal. At the end of the day, Laporta will need to let go of a big-name player if he wants Neymar, and given Griezmann’s age and lack of consistency, he would be the perfect player to offload in the Summer.
Should Laporta consider keeping any of these players?