Luis Enrique plotting Barcelona clear-out: 28 first-team players

Not counting the probable incorporation of Luciano Vietto, Barcelona have 28 first-team players on their books. Luis Enrique is therefore obliged to trim his squad to meet the regulation 25-man list permitted by the Spanish football authorities. If Vietto, or another forward, arrives, four players will have to leave the club. Martín Montoya and Cristian Tello are expected to leave Camp Nou in the coming days.

Douglas

Barça’s sporting director Robert Fernández is attempting to offload Douglas, a bizarre signing who has failed to have any impact since he arrived in 2014, and Adriano, who was the first acquisition of the Sandro Rosell era in 2010. For his part, Douglas has turned down a move to Cruzeiro as he wants to go to another Spanish club in order to complete the mandatory three year residency required to obtain citizenship.

Adriano

Adriano, meanwhile, has offers from Lazio and Sunderland but has yet to accept. Barcelona would prefer to receive some payment for the defender, which is probably a pipe dream given that potential suitors are only too aware that Barcelona are obliged to shift players before the season starts.

Assuming Tello, Montoya, Adriano and Douglas are moved on, and Vietto arrives, Enrique will have 25 players on his hands. Barcelona usually prefer a squad of 23, which could mean moves for either Sergi Samper, Thomas Vermaelen or Jeremy Mathieu.