FC Barcelona may have just celebrated the La Liga Santander title recently, but it does not deter nor distract the management from realizing what needs to come next. Some arduous involvements and confrontations are yet to happen, and their outcome will be crucial to a lot of upcoming developments.
As per SPORT, it has now come the time for FC Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez to confront the players whose future the club remains muddled about or assured about in terms of some sort of departure or loan, and communicate that information to them in an understandably formal manner.
While tactical struggles and celebrating titles may have seemed like the primary goals of a manager at the top level, it is player management in moments like these that can also define the holistic nature of a coach.
There are several profiles at Barcelona right now who are yet to be given deliverance over just what their future may look like, and whether it even involves continuing to wear the Blaugrana colours or not.
Expected to Stay:
Raphinha:
As it stands, Brazilian winger Raphinha is someone Xavi Hernandez relies on himself and believes him and Ousmane Dembele to be crucial to the team’s success next season when competing for various tournaments simultaneously, needing such depth for their inspiring objectives.
Unless an offer arrives that exceeds €80-90 million, the Brazilian will reportedly be staying with the Catalan giants.
Julian Araujo:
Barcelona acquired Mexican international and 21-year-old right back Julian Araujo from MLS side LA Galaxy in the winter transfer market of the 2022/2023 season. As it stands, he is set to continue playing in between the likes of Barca Atletic and the first team’s dynamics to continue his development right now.
Expected to be Loaned Out:
Pablo Torre:
The young Spaniard, recently having been rumored to have indeed been unsettling the coaching staff due to “inappropriate behavior”, has barely been utilized by Xavi this season since his arrival from Racing Santander last summer.
The most expected course of action that the Catalan side expect to take with him is to send him out on loan to a club with strong competition around it so that he continues his development and comes closer to the understandably remarkable potential that he has shown himself to possess.
Expected to Depart:
Ansu Fati:
Once the crown jewel of this new age of La Masia talents, Ansu Fati has since been plagued by career-defining injuries that have left him as a shell of his former self. As per SPORT, Barcelona hope to procure an amount of around €40-50 million should their current number 10 be sold to any side. The player retains his wish to stay at Barca, however.
Ferran Torres:
A season to forget in many ways for the Spaniard. Not only has he been overtaken in the winger’s hierarchy on both flanks by Dembele, Raphinha, and even Gavi, he has also not found any semblance of consistency despite random sparks of strong performances every now and then. Similar to Fati, Barcelona hope to generate a rather substantial amount from his sale.
Franck Kessie:
Struggling to adjust at times, Franck Kessie has still delivered when called upon. Xavi himself also went on to state at a point that Kessie’s late winner against Real Madrid was the most crucial goal of the club’s league campaign.
However, having arrived on a free and now being expected to get sold for upwards of €20 million, Barcelona believe there to be a massive profit-based incentive to be present in the Ivorian’s sale.
Jordi Alba:
The Spanish veteran’s inclining salary due to his progressive contract will become a massive financial hurdle for FC Barcelona over the course of next season. The club thus wishes Jordi Alba would either agree to a substantial wage cut that would fit into their plans for next season, or otherwise agree to leave the club on a free.
Recent reports also suggested that clubs from Serie A and even Atletico Madrid may be interested in acquiring Alba should he be made to leave the Catalan club this summer.
