For a club in financial adversity, management of transfers becomes crucial. It is impossible to go through windows without signing new players in today’s fast-moving world of football. However, a balance must be struck by facilitating adequate player sales.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta formulated a good plan for the club heading into the summer transfer window. The president hoped to do away with lesser-used players like Ferran Torres, Eric Garcia, and Franck Kessie while bringing in new stars on free transfers.
In an ideal scenario, the plan would have worked out well for the club with a net inflow of funds and a balanced wage roster. Yet, the implementation has simply let them down.
Two weeks into the window, Barcelona are yet to complete a single sale. They have already signed Ilkay Gundogan and Inigo Martinez and find themselves in a state where they cannot incorporate Vitor Roque until next summer.
According to reports from Gerard Romero, the Blaugrana are working on three departures at the moment to ease the situation. Pablo Torre and Clement Lenglet are on the aforementioned list, but there is no insight into the name of the third player.
Torre has found minutes difficult to come by at Barcelona, with Xavi Hernandez having an abundance of talent at his disposal. The arrival of Ilkay Gundogan and possibly Oriol Romeu does not help his case.
Real Betis, Villarreal, Celta de Vigo and Real Sociedad are all interested in acquiring the youngster’s services and a loan move appears likely.
Lenglet, meanwhile, is nearing a permanent move to Tottenham Hotspur. The French international spent the past season on loan with Spurs and appears to have shown enough to generate interest.
The third and anonymous name could be Franck Kessie who has generated solid interest from Saudi Arabia and Juventus. Torres, Garcia, and Ez Abde are some of the other candidates who could find themselves at the exit door, while a loan exit also beckons for Nico Gonzalez.
Either way, Barcelona must work to close these departures at the earliest given that Xavi still seeks to add Romeu, a right-back, and possibly another midfielder in the coming days.
