Just as Hansi Flick has stayed the course and kept his foot firmly on the gas throughout the season, leading Barcelona to a string of titles in his first year at the helm, he and sporting director Deco have now set out a clear roadmap for the coming months. This roadmap involves securing the current squad, making some departures to free up space, generating extra income and, as far as possible, signing a player to complete a very well-oiled squad.
Renewals, top of the agenda
Before the end of the season, Deco had already made progress, but the bulk of the renewals have come in the last few days with the season already over. In recent weeks, the club has officially announced the renewals of three key players: Hansi Flick, until 2027, Raphinha, who has extended his contract until 2028, and Lamine, who will remain at the club until 2031.
Deco’s next steps are aimed at securing the continuity of more important players in the present and future of the Barça team. One of them is Marc Casadó, who currently has a contract until June 30, 2028, which will be extended for two more years, that is, until 2030.
Another player the club wants to keep given his performances this season is Eric García. He has one year left on his contract, and Laporta has already said that he does not like to have players in that situation. The Catalan has emerged this season as a key player in the team due to his great performance and versatility, having played as a center back, defensive midfielder, and right back.
The Azulgrana are also working on two key renewals that seem to be taking longer than expected. We are talking about De Jong and Szczesny. Both seem convinced to sign, but the agreement and signing have not yet been made official. Both have a deadline of June 30.
Departures and extra income on the way
With a very tight salary cap, Barcelona knows that it is crucial in its roadmap for this summer to make departures and bring in as much money as possible. In that regard, it already has several deals in the pipeline and others in mind to start looking for options. In terms of departures, the most likely seems to be Ansu Fati, who, with less than 400 minutes played, has reached a breaking point. His departure has been clear for weeks and points to Monaco. Fabrizio Romano indicates that negotiations between clubs are progressing with a transfer fee of less than $20 million but with a significant buy-back clause.
On the other hand, there are the situations of Iñaki Peña, Pablo Torre, and Pau Víctor. All three are looking to leave the Barça squad in search of opportunities that are not coming at Barcelona. The goalkeeper has several suitors in LaLiga and his departure would be facilitated. The young Cantabrian is looking for a way out in the form of a loan or a transfer with a buy-back clause. In the case of the striker, a conversation is pending, but suitors are lining up.
On the other hand, there are two extra income streams that are well on track, namely the sales of Alex Valle and Lenglet. The French center back has Diego Simeone’s approval to stay and play in the Club World Cup, so the deal is a matter of days away and could be closed for around $10 million, although a letter of release to “get rid of the player” has not been ruled out. In the case of the left-back, Como will pay $6 million to keep him.
Signings in the spotlight
The priority, provided that salary space is freed up and the economy allows it, is to sign a left winger with a clear favorite in Luis Díaz and a high-quality plan B in Marcus Rashford. In the case of the former, the operation would cost around $70-80 million, while the latter could arrive for $40 million. In recent hours, the signing of Joan García for the goalkeeper position has also gained momentum, an option that would cost $25 million and would open a soap opera at Can Barça.