Everything appeared to be falling into place for Barcelona in their quest to retain their LaLiga crown this season. Their bitter rivals Real Madrid underperformed for much of the first half the season, to the point where they fired coach Xabi Alonso last month, and Atlético Madrid failed to take advantage and mount their own title challenge.
But in the past week, Barça suffered a 4-0 thrashing at Atlético that’s all but dumped them out of the Copa del Rey, and Monday’s shock 2-1 loss at Catalan neighbours Girona allowed Madrid to go two points clear at the top of the league.
It’s clear that Hansi Flick’s side cannot always rely on young star Lamine Yamal, but their financial difficulties are well-known and mean they have to clearly prioritise which areas they most need to strengthen, and where they can make room in their squad.
ESPN Barcelona correspondents Sam Marsden and Moisés Llorens answer the key transfer questions that Barça must face when the window reopens in the summer.
– Real Madrid transfer questions: What to do about Vini Jr., Bellingham?
– Make or break? Lose UCL playoff andSimeone’s Atlético reign could end
– Why every team left will and won’t win the Champions League
Barça have been looking at Julián Álvarez and Dusan Vlahovic, among others, in their search for a new striker. Who should they sign?
Marsden: Barça should sign a Kylian Mbappé or a Harry Kane, but they also should sign a centre-back, a full-back and a holding midfielder, probably another winger as well, so where will they streamline their spending? I would lean toward a centre-back.
But if it’s a striker, Álvarez is well-liked within the club’s hierarchy. However, his recent form — no goals in 11 games before scoring against Barça last week — has raised doubts. Also, the fee Atlético would want for him is prohibitive — Barça sources have told ESPN they want well over €100 million. There is also no guarantee he would score more than Ferran Torres, who actually has five more league goals than Álvarez this season in 300 fewer minutes.
In that sense, Vlahovic could work as a free shot considering he will be out of contract this summer at Juventus, even if he would not excite supporters. Given how the market is and how much can change, I would advise Barça to sit tight for now and prioritise other areas until they can afford a proper investment in a striker.
Llorens: Without any doubt, Barça should go for Álvarez if they can. He is a player the club have followed for a long time now. They have more than 15 different reports recommending his signing throughout the course of his career, and his style of play fits perfectly with what coach Hansi Flick wants from his forwards. Barça would be able to satisfy his desire to compete for every trophy up for grabs, something he was used to at Manchester City.
Regardless of who comes in, should they give Robert Lewandowski a new contract anyway?
Llorens: I would not renew him. I think, as a player who turns 38 in August, his time at the club has passed. The club may well decide to prolong his deal on a much lower salary, but for me, it’s time to move on.
Marsden: First, let me say Lewandowski, arriving at the age of 33 in 2022, has been a brilliant signing for Barcelona. With 114 goals in 177 games, he’s just six away from breaking into the top 10 of the club’s all-time leading scorers.
However, he’s already taking on a more secondary role this season, rotating with Torres, if not quite definitively second-choice to him yet, and commands a huge salary. Even if he is willing to halve that, is he worth that money if he’s not the No.9 starting every week?
His experience and work ethic have been important, even exemplary, for the younger players coming through in recent years, but it’s in the best interests of the player and the club to part ways this summer. Barça could do a lot with that salary space and Lewandowski can headline a new project somewhere else as his career winds down.
Should Barça make Marcus Rashford‘s loan signing permanent, or is there another winger they should go for instead?
Marsden: With 10 goals and 13 assists in 34 appearances, he has done well on his loan from Manchester United since arriving. But as Flick said recently, it’s not just about the numbers. He has called for Rashford to exploit his potential even more. He has also previously spoken about getting him up to speed with his work off the ball. They are perhaps two of the reasons why, since the return of Raphinha from injury at the end of November, the England forward has largely been used as an impact substitute.
Therefore, it is hard to make a call on whether to bring him in on a permanent basis. At €30m in today’s market, it seems like a no-brainer, and he seems happy being in and out of the team with the focus on others to deliver. However, you also have to factor in his wages: unless he accepts a significant cut, his salary would make him one of the highest-paid players at Barça.
The final decision will be made toward the end of the season, based on how he does until then, the money Barça have available, the other options they have and the priorities they have when it comes to strengthening their squad. At the moment, club sources suggest it’s more likely to happen than not, but I would lean towards investing elsewhere.
Llorens: I would assess the other options before deciding whether to sign Rashford. I think his performances have been good and he’s adapted well to the team, the club and to life in Catalonia, but €30m is a lot of money for Barça to spend if they are not 100% sure.
There are low-cost alternatives to consider. For example, Jan Virgili is a young winger Barça transferred to Mallorca last summer with an option to re-sign him. He could be a good player to come in and take on that role on the left wing when Raphinha is unavailable. He delivered a good first half when Barça hosted Mallorca earlier this month, although it’s true his numbers and ball-striking ability are nowhere near Rashford at this point.
1:29
Moreno: Barcelona’s defence a ‘circus’ in Girona defeat
Ale Moreno reacts to Barcelona’s shock 2-1 defeat to Girona as Real Madrid secure top of the LaLiga table.
Do they still need another centre-back to cover for the loss of Iñigo Martínez? If so, who?
Llorens: Which players leave Barcelona this summer will be key to determining if another central defender is signed ahead of next season. Gerard Martín‘s long-term future at the club is not guaranteed, Andreas Christensen is out of contract and we will see what happens with Ronald Araújo, who recently returned from a leave of absence to focus on his mental health.
Pau Cubarsí and Eric García have shown promising signs as a partnership at the back in recent weeks, but if there is space in the squad and money available, Inter Milan‘s Alessandro Bastoni is a player with a huge reputation who could fit straight in. He would be a smart addition to any top-level European side with Champions League aspirations.
Marsden: Absolutely. If there is money available, this is where I would invest. I don’t want to say all of Barça’s problems are down to the back four, because they have been exposed by the midfield at times and let down by the team’s pressing, but a new centre-back would improve this side.
Cubarsí’s form has been inconsistent and that’s because too much weight has been placed on his 19-year-old shoulders. He is still learning the game and would benefit massively from having an experienced head alongside him, as was the case with Martínez last year. A partnership with García could yet blossom, but it’s not a top-level pairing for me.
But who should Barça bring in? Again, it all comes down to money — or a lack of it. Bastoni would be my dream signing, too, but that is nigh-on-impossible. Borussia Dortmund‘s Nico Schlotterbeck and Tottenham Hotspur‘s Micky van de Ven are among others to be linked, but sporting director Deco may have to do his shopping in other markets, targeting players whose contracts are expiring, like AFC Bournemouth‘s Marcos Senesi or even Liverpool‘s Ibrahima Konaté.
Will Barça go for a new full-back in the summer, or is there a chance that João Cancelo will stay?
Marsden: There is a chance Cancelo stays, but it’s not likely at the moment. Let’s see how the rest of the season pans out. Barça do need full-back depth, though. Jules Koundé has been backed up by García, who is mainly used as a centre-back, at right-back. On the left, Alejandro Balde‘s only competition, meanwhile, is the inexperienced Martín.
Needing a full-back is nothing new. Deco has been trawling the market for several transfer windows now, but with Koundé and Balde both doing relatively well, it’s never been an absolute priority. The ideal signing would be someone young, able to play either side of the backline, and with the potential to become a long-term starter in the team. Whether that player exists or not is another matter.
Llorens: Cancelo’s performance levels have not been the best sign he rejoined in January, although the role his agent, Jorge Mendes, will play in his future could be key. Barça have Koundé and García as options on the right, while youngster Jofre Torrents is pushing for more chances on the left behind Balde. Keeping in mind García’s versatility, the club’s finances will dictate whether or not they move for a full-back this summer.
0:45
Hansi Flick: No excuses Barcelona deserved to lose vs. Girona
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick believes his side to deserved to lose against Girona in LaLiga.
Who are the next players from La Masia who could be promoted to the first-team squad?
Llorens: Various players from the academy are already capable of making up the numbers in the first-team squad, but it would help tremendously if the reserve team can gain promotion this season back into the third tier of Spanish football. Of those currently on the cusp of the first team, the Fernández cousins, Toni and Guille, and winger Dani Rodríguez, who is currently injured, have serious chances of making a name for themselves at the club.
Marsden: While gaps have opened up for youngsters in recent seasons, the feeling at the club is that with a more established squad now in place, it’s going to be harder for academy graduates to get minutes moving forward. That was one of the reasons behind Dro Fernández‘s decision to join Paris Saint-Germain in January.
That said, Flick is still filling out training sessions with players from the youth teams. Midfielder Tommy Marqués is the latest La Masia product to get a full debut under the German coach, while Toni Fernández, Torrents and Juan Hernández are all in and around the senior side as well.
Xavi Espart, Landry Farre, Sama Nomoko and Ebrima Tunkara, still just 15, are other players to keep an eye on, although Espart, Farre and Nomoko have all had bad luck with injuries this season.
Barça always need to raise money. Are there any regular first-team players who could be transferred out to generate cash?
Marsden: Let Lewandowski and Christensen leave as their contracts expire, generating salary space, and then also look to move on goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen. Money could also be saved by not renewing Cancelo’s loan or signing Rashford. From there, I would listen to any offers for Martín or Marc Casadó, two squad players who, for me, will never have the quality to hold down a regular first-team berth at Barça.
From there, the decisions become harder. Torres’ deal is up in 2027 so if no agreement is incoming, it could also be time to cash in on the former Manchester City forward. Then, it becomes a question of what could Barça do with any money raised from transfers. If there is a case to be made for strengthening the team by listening to offers for Araújo, Koundé, Frenkie de Jong, Dani Olmo and Fermín López, then it’s something which should be looked at.
Llorens: We have to see how the season ends, but players like Martín and Casadó could be transferred out this summer. Everything is still up in the air at the moment, though.
