There have been plenty of departures this summer and that could leave more room for La Masia graduates to break into the first team, as discussed on the latest of The Barcelona Podcast:
Here’s the Top 5:
Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes trade Catalonia for Merseyside
Yerry Mina has been sold to Everton with a buy-back option and Andre Gomes has been loaned for the season to the same club. It is likely that both players have played their final official games in FC Barcelona uniforms and while their time at the Camp Nou was never heralded as the next coming of greatness, the club was able to turn a profit on Mina and put themselves in a position to do the same for Gomes next summer. Everton’s summer of signing last season didn’t pay off and many of those players including former Barcelona player Sandro Ramirez found themselves on the outside looking in. It’ll be interesting to see how Marco Silva integrates all of the new talent in his first season in charge.
Marlon denied move to Newcastle
After showing better than expected on the preseason tour with FC Barcelona, Marlon Santos should have expected a move to come to fruition as he knew that he wasn’t in the team’s plans this season. Even if the club wanted to keep him, the lack of non-EU spots would have left him out in the cold regardless. With a work permit issue keeping him at the Camp Nou through the closing of the Premier League window, the young Brazilian defender will be hoping that one of the few clubs left in the other European leagues with money to spend come calling.
Some fans were burned by the promotional season posters showing Philippe Coutinho wearing the number 14 on his shorts, but those who waited for official numbers have been rewarded as the Brazilian becomes the latest Barcelona attacker to don the number seven. While Arda Turan had the jersey from his arrival in 2015 until his official departure this season, some of the other names this century do the shirt a little more justice, including Pedro, David Villa and Javier Saviola.
Frenkie de Jong deal hinges on Champions League
Ajax’s midfielder turned central defender has stated numerous times that he only wishes to play for Barcelona, but he will be patient for both parties to come to an agreement on when that will happen. For Ajax, their Champions League fate seems to be the largest roadblock for the transfer. If they make the group stage round, they won’t want one of their top players leaving. What’s more, with the midfield options currently at Ernesto Valverde’s disposal, does he even need another midfielder this season?
VAR makes Spanish debut in Supercopa
Fans around the globe got a look at VAR at the World Cup with mixed results. Those results were provided by some of the top referees on the planet, and there will certainly be a learning curve for the La Liga officials that will be using it for the first time. Cules already feel hard-done by for the many offside calls that they believe should have gone their way in the last few seasons, and VAR could either help with that issue or exacerbate it by getting the call wrong twice.
