LALIGA
Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres could ruin Barcelona’s summer transfer plans
The LaLiga champions are desperate to move players on to make new signings but can’t convince the Spain duo to leave.
Barcelona need to start getting players out the door quickly if they want to make new signings ahead of the 2023/24 season. So far, their considerable attempts to do so have failed and they now find themselves with no room for manoeuvre, club sources have revealed to AS. As a result, deals that have been agreed in principle cannot be officially competed until unwanted members of the roster move on.
Barcelona keen on Kessié-Brozovic deal with Inter
Of the players that are not in Xavi’s plans for next season, only one, Franck Kessié, appears to be open to leaving. The Ivorian has even shown himself to be sympathetic of the situation the club finds itself in. Because of his successful spell in Italy with Atalanta and Milan, there is every chance that the midfielder will receive an enticing offer from a Serie A club in the coming weeks.
Indeed, Inter are known to be an admirer and La Blaugrana would be keen on doing a deal with the Champions League runners-up due to their interest in Marcelo Brozovic, who they see as the ideal replacement for the departed Sergio Busquets.
Torres and Fati determined to stay at Barça
Unlike Kessié, neither Ferran Torres nor Ansu Fati are making life easy for Barcelona, who would ideally like to sell both. The former has a contract until 2027 and has no intention of speaking to other clubs, despite the fact that he has been told that there are no guarantees he will play next season.
What complicates matters further is amortisation; Barça still have €60 million (circa $65.6 million) left to pay following his transfer from Manchester City in January 2022, which means his departure would only slightly lessen their huge wage bill, with that debt spread out across the medium term until the end of his contract.
Fati’s potential departure would be much more straightforward in terms of finance, with Barcelona due a ‘standard’ transfer fee, while his full salary would come off the wage bill. However, the young attacker has also been very reluctant to listen to offers put in front of him and has already rejected the advances of Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The club is very disappointed by the attitude of both players who, despite being aware that they won’t play regularly, are still determined to stay put.
Which other players could Barcelona move on?
In view of these stalemates, Barcelona are looking for other ways to free up some space on the wage bill. One possible solution could be to release players who have just come back from loan spells, such as Clement Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti.
Fellow defender Eric García is another player Barça would like to move on, especially with Athletic Club’s Iñigo Martínez due to arrive. The club may also look to sell youngster Pablo Torre, although his relatively low wages would have a modest overall impact.