Barcelona are blessed with five quality forwards in their squad, but only two have really performed to the expected levels so far this season. So much so that Xavi Hernandez has ended up using a fourth midfielder rather than three traditional forwards.
Even if Raphinha has begun to show signs of recovery, his name will be mentioned frequently alongside those of Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres in the coming months. Two were expensive recruits, while the other is yet to show that he can be the player he was expected to be after a sizable new contract and a long-term injury.
Fati is reportedly unhappy with his situation, recording just nine starts and two full matches this season, and Caught Offside asked Fabrizio Romano whether he was likely to move in the summer.
“Barcelona insist they want to trust Ansu Fati for present and future,” Romano remarked in his Daily Substack.
“But it’s one of the situations to watch in the summer because they also have to make money and improve the salaries situation. I think a loan makes no sense, the best solution would be a permanent deal but it’s really early to predict how or where.”
Barcelona seemingly have around €200m to make up in savings, transfer fees and increased sponsorship in order to reamin within their salary limit for next summer. If not, they will only be allowed to spend 40% of what they do make back.
