After an almost perfect season under the orders of Hansi Flick, FC Barcelona approaches summer with a mixture of sports satisfaction and internal turbulence. The arrival of the German technician has given the club a clear identity, made of intensity, tactical discipline and fast projection forward. Barça has regained stability which he had not known for several years, with a united collective, a rising generation which asserts itself, and an impressive regularity in both liga and Europe. The return to demanding and coherent football conquered supporters and repositioned the club among the continental references.
But behind this success, the Catalan staff is preparing a summer transfer transfer window of an unprecedented scale, marked by strong decisions to come. Several members of the workforce could be affected by an important renewal, in an assumed desire to open a new cycle. The club, always constrained by the limits of financial fair play, wants to bet on a strategic restructuring: to lighten the wage bill, to strengthen the balance of the group and to make room for a long-term sports project. If the names are still secret, the contours of this “bleeding” suggest a boiling summer in Catalonia, where the objective will be to consolidate the achievements while projecting FC Barcelona towards a more sustainable and competitive future.
7 players can bend luggage
FC Barcelona is preparing this summer a massive operation to renew its workforce by launching a real “Operación Salida”, as reported Marca This Wednesday morning. Seven players would be particularly concerned: Marc-André Ter Stegen, Iñaki Peña, Ronald Araújo, Pablo Torre, Frenkie de Jong, Ansu Fati and Pau Víctor. The objective is clear: to lighten the payroll, to free up places, and to reposition the club as part of the financial fair play, while continuing a long-term sports project. Several of these departures could materialize via final transfers or loans, depending on the opportunities and the negotiations in progress. Although no official announcement has yet been made, the Catalan management seems determined to finalize these movements quickly, in order to identify the resources necessary to strengthen the team in the financial rules and give new impetus to the coach's project.
The situation of the seven players mentioned varies according to their sporting importance and their weight in the wage bill. Three of them – Ansu Fati, Iñaki Peña and Pablo Torre – are almost guaranteed to leave the club, while the case of Pau Víctor remains uncertain and will depend on the evolution of the market. On the other hand, the most complex files concern Ter Stegen, Araujo and Frenkie de Jong, three pillars of the cloakroom whose future could evolve according to opportunities and internal decisions. Ter Stegen, despite the arrival of Joan García, recently said he wanted to stay, which makes his situation enigmatic. Iñaki Peña, now relegated to the guards' hierarchy, will leave without surprise. Araujo, losing speed this season, could be sold if a serious offer arrives, especially since its release clause soon drops to 70 million euros. Finally, De Jong seems to be prolonging, even if he keeps a certain caution in his statements. This degreasing operation, as necessary as it is ambitious, marks the beginning of a new cycle wanted by the sports management, between economic constraints and sports renewal.
