Last year, FC Barcelona were able to significantly strengthen their team ahead of the 2024-25 season. The Catalans added some interesting players, like Ilkay Gundogan, to their squad, even though they were going through a very difficult period financially.
The German midfielder arrived from Manchester City as a free agent, and the Catalans have used their global pull to include several other top-class players for free over the last few years, including the likes of Inigo Martinez, Andreas Christensen, and Franck Kessie.
However, the last summer transfer window was somewhat different for the Blaugranes as they did not add any new player who was available for free. Mundo Deportivo has identified several such players who were linked with Barcelona but ultimately did not join the club.
The most notable of these players are as follows:
Mats Hummels
The former Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund defender was one of the most high-profile players available for free last summer. He joined AS Roma after having been linked with the likes of Mallorca and Real Sociedad.
Guido Rodriguez
The former Real Betis midfielder had almost signed for Barcelona, but the move fell off ultimately with the departure of Xavi Hernandez from the club. He signed for Aston Villa last summer.
Adrien Rabiot
He could have been an interesting option for Barcelona, but his high salary demands and difficulties in negotiating with his entourage made it impossible for the Catalans to consider him. He signed for the French side Olympique Marseille recently.
Mario Hermoso
The former Atletico Madrid player was linked with Barcelona but joined the Italian side AS Roma after also having been approached by the Saudis.
Piotr Zielinski
Another very interesting free agent in the last summer window, but he was not really available as he had already agreed to join Inter Milan at the start of the year.
Memphis Depay
The former Manchester United and FC Barcelona player was again available as a free agent after his contract with Atletico Madrid expired. He ultimately joined the Brazilian side Corinthians to become the highest-paid player in South America last summer.
Anthony Martial
The French forward left Manchester United after some very poor seasons with the Red Devils. He joined the Greek side AEK Athens and signed for them till 2027.
Ivan Perisic
Another high-profile name present in the list, Perisic was reported to be an attractive target for Flick in Croatian media, especially after he terminated his contract with Hajduk Split. The winger had been under Flick’s order when he won the sextuple with Bayern, but Barcelona were quick to rule this option out.
Rafa Silva
The former Benfica winger was one of the players linked with Barcelona in the last summer transfer window. He scored 22 goals last season, and signed for the Turkish side Besiktas after his contract expired.
Raphael Varane
The former Real Madrid defender was also available for free after his few inconsistent seasons with Manchester United. He signed for Cesc Fabregas’ Como but was not registered because of a new injury.
