Given the sticky financial situation Barcelona have got caught up in, the club understands the importance of selling some of their prized assets in order to balance the accounts.
While the Catalans are said to study offers for all players, Mundo Deportivo has recently released a list of untouchables, including names of individuals that are considered Blaugranes’ centerpieces for the years to come.
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen:
Ter Stegen has 25 clean sheets in 33 games in La Liga this season, with a save percentage of 86%. He is well on course to winning the Zamora trophy and when it comes to total prevented goals in Europe, the German is fifth-best.
In addition to his unreal shot-stopping ability, Ter Stegen has been a huge resource playing out from the back as he continues to be one of the best distributors in European football.
Araújo and Christensen:
Like yin and yang, the pair has demonstrated exceptional poise in dealing with opponents at the back. Christensen has been as calm as a cucumber, embodying composure with his ball-playing skills as well as defensive aptitude. The Danish International has hardly put a foot wrong, owing to his high levels of concentration.
On the other hand, Araújo has been a symbol of authority. The Uruguayan complements Christensen’s calmness with his front-footed defensive style and has been key in claiming clean sheets. It is hard to imagine Barcelona maintaining their excellent record without the duo.
Frenkie de Jong:
Despite nearly on his way out last summer, De Jong has completely turned over a new leaf and proven to be one of the Catalans’ most consistent performers. He earned Xavi’s trust with a string of strong performances and looks like the superstar from Ajax whenever he occupies the double pivot.
The Dutchman’s passing range from deep, ball carrying, and tempo regulation solidify his status as an untouchable.
Pedri Gonzales:
At the tender age of 20, Pedri has been Barcelona’s most influential midfielder. He adds control for the team when the game enters a chaotic state and combines his composure with innate creativity.
The Spaniard singlehandedly won Barca 13 points this season with his goals. After racking up the second-most minutes in the squad, his recent injury left the Catalan giants in a difficult situation where dropped points became recurrent.
Ousmane Dembélé:
The Frenchman, when fit and available, has bedazzled on the right flank. With isolations regularly created for him, he almost always prevails in one-on-one situations. Beating defenders with his outstanding dribbling, he then offers creativity and goal output that elevates his status in the squad by a great margin.
Robert Lewandowski:
The Pole may have suffered a drop-off in recent months, but without him dominating the scoring charts in the first half of the season, it is hard to imagine the Catalans leading La Liga so comfortably.
Lewandowski leads the Pichichi charts and came up clutch by guaranteeing goals in important fixtures. With a break in the summer, the Barcelona faithful expect him to return to his very best.
