Barcelona are heading into next season with a significant challenge as they have an overcrowded roster of central defenders.
Currently, the team has several top players competing for just two main spots. These players include Inigo Martinez, Ronald Araujo, Pau Cubarsi, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen, and Mikayil Faye.
Adding to this, players like Chadi Riyad, Eric Garcia, and Clement Lenglet are set to return from their loan spells, further complicating Barcelona’s squad planning for the next season.
This surplus of central defenders means tough decisions lie ahead for the club’s management.
Have Barcelona planned anything for the next season?
Within the team, one of the main concerns revolves around Araujo. There is a lot of uncertainty about his future because many top European clubs are interested in him.
Given his high market value, Barcelona might decide to sell Araujo to create some financial room within their salary cap for the upcoming season. This move would help alleviate their financial constraints, though it would mean losing one of their key defenders.
Looking at Cubarsi and Kounde, the situation is a bit different. The former is expected to be a regular starter next season, regardless of any managerial changes.
Kounde, on the other hand, appears to be coming to terms with the fact that his future at Barcelona might lie in playing as a right-back rather than in his preferred central defence position.
Furthermore, Martinez is likely to serve as a backup player, providing support when needed and as for Christensen, there are strong rumours that Barcelona would be open to selling him if a good offer comes in.
What about the rest?
Faye’s situation is still uncertain, however, recent reports suggest that he could be promoted to the senior team after impressing the club’s hierarchy during his time with the youth squad.
Now, Lenglet, who has been on loan at Aston Villa, is set to return because the Premier League club has decided not to keep him.
Meanwhile, Garcia is attracting interest from Girona, and Chadi Riyad has caught the eye of several Premier League clubs, indicating that there could be opportunities for these players elsewhere.
Ultimately, how these players fit into the team will depend on the decisions of the new manager, Hansi Flick.
Until then, the future roles of these defenders remain uncertain, and Barcelona will need to navigate this situation carefully to ensure they have a balanced and effective squad for next season.
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