Barcelona are looking to offload eight players to help alleviate their financial struggles according to reports.
In August 2022, the Catalan Giants were on the brink of bankruptcy and seemed to be falling out of Europe’s top clubs.
Barcelona President, Laporta took over a club with over a billion euros in debt, problematic player contracts, and a history of underperforming on the field. In his return as president, Laporta was tasked with fixing these issues.
Joan Laporta proudly proclaimed that the club had emerged “out of the hospital.”
Standing next to the club’s marquee signing, Robert Lewandowski, Laporta saw the arrival of the Bayern Munich striker as a tangible sign of the club’s successful recovery from looming financial disaster in the post-Lionel Messi era.
Laporta announced at Lewandowski’s introduction that the club is now making progress, stating: “It’s unfortunate that a year ago we had to address the financial struggles of the club, but now we can see that we are making progress.”
Meanwhile, his controversial approach involved implementing various financial strategies to help Barcelona regain their status among the elite.
However, it’s almost two years after Laporta’s confident statement at Camp Nou and the future of the club remains uncertain.
With several new signings expected to be made this summer, Barcelona will be looking to generate funds through player sales to fund their transfer activity.
It is now believed that the club is open to offers for first-XI players to raise funds and rebuild the squad for the upcoming season.
The Spanish powerhouse are gearing up for a summer of squad overhaul, with reports suggesting that eight key players, such as Frenkie de Jong and Jules Kounde, are poised to be offloaded.
Notably, even established starters like Kounde and Alejandro Balde find themselves on the transfer list, adding a surprising twist to the impending clearouts.
Kounde and Balde, worth €50 million and €40 million respectively, could bring Barcelona a significant sum in transfer fees.
Additionally, Mundo Deportivo reports that goalkeeper Inaki Pena, along with defenders Andreas Christensen and Inigo Martinez, are also on the selling block.
The decision to sell such key players has raised eyebrows among fans, but it seems to be a necessary step for the club to stabilize its financial situation.
It remains to be seen how these departures will impact the team next season, but it is clear that changes are on the horizon at the Camp Nou.
What’s next for Barcelona?
Barcelona will look to continue the La Liga campaign in a grand style as they take on Girona in what promises to be an exciting clash.
The Catalan will hope to extend their points as they are currently behind Real Madrid with 73 points.
The match will take place at Montilivi Stadium with kick off set at 4:30 pm.
