Any plans that Bartomeu and company may have had for the abbreviated transfer window, albeit with little money to spend, have been thrown out the window due to the Messi situation. More than just finishing the edges of the squad with transfers in, the club has also been halted in any attempts to ship players out.
It’s unfathomable to think that Lionel Messi would be out at FC Barcelona before Luis Suárez, Ivan Rakitic, and Arturo Vidal. Obviously those three are very likely to follow the Argentine out the door in the next few weeks, but this issue exacerbates the challenges for the club in the transfer market.
Even prior to the Messi news, Francesc and I discussed the state of the club with the players against the board on the latest edition of The Barcelona Podcast.
Rectifying the Messi situation will unfortunately dictate every piece of business that the club undertakes this window. Yet, with or without Messi, I think the club should probably take a similar approach:
- IF MESSI LEAVES: The much more likely situation. The board may disappoint again, but I wouldn’t spend any money that is raised in selling Messi. It feels gross to write that. BARCELONA SELLING MESSI. With the financial issues surrounding the club, allow this transfer window to stand on its own. Sell Suárez, Rakitic, and Vidal. Also make the minor moves, including finding buyers for Rafinha, Neto, and other fringe players that aren’t in Ronald Koeman’s plans. Then use the funds from the non-Messi sales to round out the squad with additional energetic, youthful players with high potential. They don’t have to be ready now, but the top clubs go out and find the best future talent and cultivate it. La Masia can be useful to reinforce at certain positions, but add talent in the positions where La Masia is weak. Those are final squad spots can be used to add affordable future stars. If Messi leaves, the priority becomes a young forward that can back-up Griezmann and potentially score between 10 and 20 goals this season. Lautaro Martínez doesn’t look to be available right now, but there are other options.
- IF MESSI STAYS: Not much should changes if Messi stays. The squad needs energy and youthful legs, and this becomes even more important surrounding Messi. However, in the unlikely scenario that the Argentine stays, he may demand the club keep his friend Suárez around. If it’s just Messi staying, that young forward becomes less of a priority and if both Messi and Suárez stay, forget about that signing for now and go for a superstar later. So that would make the priority finding the future of the full-back positions. Nelson Semedo is the starter and needs competition, and since La Masia doesn’t have anybody on the verge of the first team, a player with a very high ceiling would be the right idea. Same for Jordi Alba if Junior Firpo isn’t trusted. If Junior Firpo is sold, left-back becomes the priority position of need.
For my picks at who I think the club should go for and what positions need to be reinforced, check out my realistic transfers:
Dan Hilton is an American journalist, broadcaster, and current Editor-in-Chief of BarcaBlog. Extensive work as a play-by-play broadcaster, producer behind the scenes, and quite average player in his younger years has given him a well-rounded and informative perspective on the sport. Alongside BarcaBlog founder Francesc, Dan started The Barcelona Podcast in 2017.
