The performances put up by FC Barcelona this season have left a lot to be desired for most fans of the club and Xavi has been facing a lot of pressure for these poor performances throughout the season.
Most fans have already forgotten the good results that Xavi was able to obtain last season, as he guided his team to a Spanish Super Cup and La Liga trophy.
Furthermore, the Barcelona head coach had to compete without getting several players that he had asked for from the club, mainly because of Barcelona’s economic problems.
In fact, SPORT notes that there were four players in particular that Xavi wanted in his squad but the Catalan club was unable to acquire them.
1: Martin Zubimendi
The most notable of these players is Martin Zubimendi, who was one of the players that Xavi wanted in particular after Busquets’ departure.
The Barcelona head coach believed the Real Sociedad player to be the most well-suited candidate for this role, but the player did not want to leave La Real and Barcelona did not want to pay €60 million for him.
Furthermore, Barcelona were also unable to get Xavi’s second preference, i.e., Joshua Kimmich from Bayern Munich, and the Spanish manager had to be content with the acquisition of Oriol Romeu last summer.
2: Bernardo Silva
The Manchester City midfielder was another player that Xavi desired for his team, especially as he wanted his side to be better with possession and make quick but good decisions. Silva not only provided Xavi with such a player but would have also been an option for Xavi to play in the forward line.
The Portuguese international himself was open to a move to Barcelona, but Manchester City’s asking price made any move prohibitive to begin with. In the end, the Catalans got another highly interesting player in his stead, i.e., Ilkay Gundogan.
3: Juan Foyth
Xavi also wanted a right-back with a defensive profile in his team, and insisted first on Azpilicueta and then on the Villarreal defender, Juan Foyth. The Barcelona manager was counting on Foyth’s arrival to be able to play Kounde in the center.
However, Cancelo, who was more affordable, ended up joining the Catalan side. But him being a more attacking fullback, Xavi had to reconsider his plans for the team with his arrival.
4: Erling Haaland
Two years ago, there were reports of Xavi and Jordi Cruyff traveling to Munich to meet with the Norwegian striker. That meeting took place in March when everyone knew that Haaland will leave Dortmund, and Laporta himself publicly talked about the possibility of signing him.
However, the transfer cost of the striker soon started to rise and reached a level that was impossible for Barcelona to meet because of their FFP problems. Thus, the Catalans had to be content with Lewandowski, who no doubt was another great option, but was already beyond 30 years of age.
