In recent years, driven more by necessity than desire, Barcelona have increasingly relied on the free-agent market to bolster their squad. To their credit, the club has often found success with such signings.
Players like Andreas Christensen, Íñigo Martínez, Ilkay Gündogan, and Franck Kessié have contributed positively during their stints, albeit with Kessié’s impact being more financial than sporting. Even Eric García, despite his critics, has had moments of promise.
However, not every signing has delivered the desired results. Marcos Alonso and Héctor Bellerín, for instance, failed to make a significant impact.
Barcelona’s willingness to explore the free agent market is unlikely to change in the near future. However, one high-profile player who could be available on a free transfer in the upcoming summer—Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah—will not be among their targets.
According to Fichajes, the primary reason Barcelona are not considering a move for Mohamed Salah is his astronomical wages, reportedly around €25 million per year. Even as a free agent, Salah would likely demand a similar salary, if not more, making the deal financially unviable for the Catalan club.
Not worth breaking the wage structure
After seasons of financial mismanagement and paying players far more than they should have been earning, it has taken seasons for Joan Laporta & co. to bring the wage bill back to a manageable level and the last thing they’ll want is to throw everything down the drain.
Spending such a significant amount on Mohamed Salah—who is currently 32 and will turn 33 next summer—is neither financially prudent nor strategically sound. While the Egyptian forward is undeniably a world-class talent, this is not the direction Barcelona should take.
The Lamine Yamal factor
Salah is one of the best right-wingers in the world and has been that for the better part of the last decade. However, Barcelona currently have an incredible player in Lamine Yamal who plays in the same position as the Egyptian.
It will not make sense for the club to bring in Salah, who would take game time away from Lamine. Thus, it is a wise decision that the club is not considering a transfer for him and let’s hope they can maintain this stance in the coming months.
