Joan Laporta’s lever-pulling did just about enough to ensure Barcelona could stay afloat and remain competitive in 2022/23.
While La Blaugrana again failed miserably in Europe, their stellar domestic form culminated in La Liga glory – their first league title since 2018/19. Despite this success, financial turmoil still envelops the great Catalan club and will vastly restrict the business they can conduct this summer.
However, the exits of stalwarts leaves Xavi with multiple holes to fill and Barça’s shrewdness in the market is set to be put to the test given their monetary limitations.
Here are three positions Barcelona must look to strengthen before the summer window slams shut.
Xavi has a bit of a predicament at right back because his two best performers at the position are centre-backs by trade and one, Jules Kounde, doesn’t view his long-term future out on the flank.
Both Kounde and Ronald Araujo performed well at right-back last season when called upon but La Blaugrana are expected to be in the market for another option to appease Kounde. Although, the Frenchman might find it difficult to displace either Araujo or Andreas Christensen at the heart of Barça’s defence.
Nevertheless, the club has a long standing interest in former Tottenham defender Juan Foyth, currently at Villarreal, while coveted Real Valladolid full back Ivan Fresneda has also been linked with a move to Catalonia. Joao Cancelo was once talked up as a possibility, but the finances involved render that deal tough to pull off.
Fresneda appears to be the number one option at this stage and while he may not usurp Kounde right away, he’s got the potential to emerge as a dynamic full back star under Xavi.
There’s a vast Sergio Busquets-shaped hole that needs to be filled in the dressing room.
Barcelona astutely signed treble hero Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer to get their summer transfer window underway, but Xavi is likely to view the German as a midfielder who’ll do greater damage between the lines and closer to the opposition box.
Frenkie de Jong’s success in a box-to-box role means he’s unlikely to be moulded into a single pivot midfielder, while Gavi and Pedri are both better suited to more advanced roles.
Barça need a bona fide holding midfielder to replace Busquets and they were rumoured to be in for Real Sociedad metronome Martin Zubimendi heading into the summer window. Interest on that front, however, appears to have cooled and former Southampton man Oriol Romeu is now the club’s top target after a fine season with Girona.
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The club’s purchase of Brazilian sensation Vitor Roque should solve their post-Robert Lewandowski striker issue and Xavi is blessed with several options to deploy down the right flank. On the left, however, the situation is murkier.
Ansu Fati looked set to be La Blaugrana’s next superstar when he burst onto the scene as a teenager, but injuries have prevented the Spaniard’s career from taking off. His future looked to be in doubt this summer, but a promising end to the season should convince the club to retain his services and the 20-year-old could make the left wing spot his own next season should he stay fit.
However, Xavi’s lack of options last season led to the deployment of an extra midfielder down the left in a bid to establish greater control in central areas. The Barça boss may continue with this ploy next season, but La Blaugrana are undoubtedly more dynamic with a player of Fati’s profile in the side.
If Ferran Torres departs, the club should seek to sign a replacement who could compete with Fati for minutes down the left.
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