FC Barcelona enter the concluding month of the summer transfer window with several operations still yet to be finalised with arrivals in particular having become a more complicated task than previously anticipated.
The club currently understands that their rather restricted financial allowances make the signings of elite stars quite a difficult prospect to tend to. However, it appears that there are two superstars in particular whose current situations could lead to one or the other signing for Barcelona.
According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, both Neymar Jr of Paris Saint-Germain and Joao Felix of Atletico Madrid continue to highlight their desire to join FC Barcelona while wishing to leave their current sides, and the Catalans hope to take advantage of this and sign one of the two stars in question.
In the case of Neymar Jr, his salary is currently estimated to be in the regions exceeding €30 million up all the way to around €40 million per year, making it one of the most lucrative contracts in European football and one that is valid until 2025.
PSG themselves have come to the conclusion that they would prefer to part ways with the 31-year-old former Barcelona forward as both his salary remains a huge obligation to fulfill as well as the fact that new manager Luis Enrique does not count on him for the upcoming 2023/2024 season.
On the other hand, the case of Joao Felix is one that is akin to that of Neymar Jr as Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone also does not count on the Barcelona-linked forward for the upcoming season and his current side would ideally wish to part ways with him this season.
Both clubs understand that their players consider Barcelona a destination they wish to travel to next, and that the Catalan club could provide an outlet to offload their unwanted stars to.
In the case of Neymar, whose salary remains far too unattainable for FC Barcelona, PSG would pay a portion of his wages for the year that he spends on loan at Barcelona, should he end up arriving. Barcelona would also need him to substantially reduce his salary demands moving forward.
For Joao Felix, the operation would likely have to be a season-long loan at first with an option or mandatory clause to buy him permanently at the end of the season for him to become feasible for FC Barcelona.
As it stands however, while Xavi is initially not conceived by either of the two players from a sporting sense, the Board and higher-ups believe that once their signing becomes more feasible and closer to realization, Xavi would open up to the prospect of their arrivals.
On the other hand, as per the report, should Barcelona manage to acquire one of the two stars in question, then they would only be able to incorporate one more signing before the end of the window and that is speculated to be that of a right-back.
