With little left to compete for at the end of the year, other than consolidating its place on the podium in the championship, FC Barcelona already has its eyes fixed on next season. To hope to avoid another blank year, the Catalan club, eliminated by PSG on the outskirts of the last four of the Champions League, therefore wishes to prepare as best as possible for future events. With this in mind, Xavi came out of silence in order to draw up a first portrait of his expectations. “Last season we didn’t do all the planning, but we hope to do it this year”first launched the former Culers midfielder before discussing the impact of the European Championship, the Copa America and the Olympic Games.
Xavi wants to keep Frenkie De Jong and Sergi Roberto
“We have calculated that the players will arrive at the end of July or the beginning of August. La Liga will not start before August 17 and 18. We will have time to prepare for the new season. The summer is going to be intense”. Determined to anticipate everything, the 44-year-old Spaniard, who is preparing to challenge Valencia on the 33rd day of La Liga, also took advantage of this press conference to provide some clues about his wishes regarding the next summer transfer window. Indeed, if the reigning Spanish champion plans to recruit, he will necessarily have to sell certain senior players to respect financial fair play.
With this in mind, the Spanish press suggested that Barça could part ways with Frenkie De Jong, already pushed out in the summer of 2022 and considered one of the biggest salaries in the Barcelona locker room. Asked about this rumor, Xavi however recalled the importance of the Dutchman in his squad. “For me, De Jong is a key player. Nothing has changed, it’s really crucial for me. He has been unlucky with many injuries but his level has always been excellent, I consider him a crucial player.. A clear opinion that the Iberian also reiterated when discussing the Sergi Roberto case.
The future of Vitor Roque relaunched…
“Sergi Roberto, I want him to renew himself, to stay. It’s up to him to decide. The club knows where I stand with Sergi. He can help us, he has already done so since we arrived as staff. I hope he can stay”. Determined to keep his two protégés, the former Spanish international (133 caps, 12 goals) has, however, left the door open to a future loan from Vitor Roque, who arrived last winter. Lacking playing time in the Blaugrana jersey, the young 19-year-old Brazilian sees his future darkening in Catalonia. “We will decide at the end of the season. It’s not easy to come from another championship, it’s not easy to make a difference at Barça. He needs more minutes, confidence and at the end of the season we will decide.soberly commented the Barcelona architect.
Finally, if Lamine Yamal, announced on the PSG side in recent weeks, and Ronald Araujo, coveted by Bayern Munich and Manchester United, were deemed untransferable, the native of Terrassa refused to get involved, ensuring that he would not not yet having discussed these two burning issues with his management. “We didn’t talk about anything. The situation of the club will determine the schedule., confided the person concerned, always working in close collaboration with its president, Joan Laporta, and its sporting director, Deco. One thing is certain, before definitively diving into a new season, Xavi already seems to have a very specific plan in mind to (finally) return to the top with FC Barcelona…
