Barcelona want to bring in another star player next summer but they will be forced into some tough decisions if they want to do so.
The likelihood is that they will have to remove the salaries of Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets this summer in order to do so. The trio are due around €200m between this season and next.
They would also have to sell Frenkie de Jong. The Dutch midfielder commands a significant salary but also a considerable market value, making him the asset that the Barcelona board see as expendable.
Speaking to Caught Offside in his exclusive column, Fabrizio Romano says that de Jong has not changed his mind from the summer though.
“There’s no change at all, as he always said.”
“Frenkie’s situation could only change if he decides to leave; as of now, it’s still the same as June, July and August so there are no ongoing negotiations.”
“There is a lot of interest as always by many clubs, but nothing else.”
It leaves Barcelona in a tricky situation. In order to bring in one of their top targets, they would likely have to sell on more of their assets next summer, namely Barcelona Licensing and Merchandising.
It has been seen as a last resort, but so far President Joan Laporta has shown a willingness to risk everything in order to build a competitive side.
