5 players who could leave Barcelona this transfer window
Barcelona is one of the biggest clubs in world football and continues to compete for titles on multiple fronts. The La Liga giants have one of the most formidable squads in Europe at their disposal and are armed to the teeth with some of the world's most potent attacking talents.
It comes as a surprise, therefore, that Barcelona has largely failed to reach the lofty standards that are expected of the side in the recent past. The Blaugrana was at its peak a decade ago but has experienced a considerable fall from grace since the golden days of Pep Guardiola.
Barcelona may look to revamp the squad in the summer
The coronavirus pandemic has adversely affected the world of football but Barcelona may well be the hardest hit by the slowdown in business. The financial crisis at the club has affected Barcelona's ability to splash money in the transfer market and bring in new talent.
Barcelona has ignored its famed youth product La Masia for several years now and will find that plenty of its needs can be serviced by the brilliant talents produced by the academy. Under Quique Setien, the likes of Ansu Fati and Riqui Puig have been getting regular playing time and will be fixtures in the first team next season.
Barcelona has one of the oldest squads in Europe and will have to sell some of its ageing stars to compete for silverware next season. Antoine Griezmann was tipped to be a potential departure a few weeks ago but seems to have settled into his role under the new manager and is likely to remain in Barcelona for the foreseeable future.
Some of Barcelona's other illustrious members, however, will not be as lucky. The club desperately needs to promote its younger players an plan for the future. The new investments and increased competition for places in the starting eleven will inevitably mean that some of Barcelona's players will have to find new employers in the transfer market.
Also Read: Barcelona striker Antoine Griezmann to miss the remainder of La Liga season
#5 Samuel Umtiti
When Samuel Umtiti joined Barcelona he was touted as the rightful heir to Carles Puyol's legendary throne. The French defender had the tenacity and drive to become a leader in Barcelona's defence and seemed to fit the bill perfectly.
Fast forward to 2020, and Samuel Umtiti is arguably at the bottom of the pecking order in Barcelona's squad. The Frenchman's time at the club has been ravaged by injuries and Umtiti has lost his place to his compatriot Clement Lenglet in the starting eleven.
Samuel Umtiti was surprisingly given a chance to prove his mettle by Quique Setien against Celta Vigo a few weeks ago and the defender spurned the opportunity and produced a terrible performance in Barcelona's defence. The World Cup winner picked up yet another injury and has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
Several Premier League clubs have expressed a keen interest in signing Samuel Umtiti and Barcelona may decide to offload the misfiring defender in the upcoming transfer window.
#4 Ousmane Dembele
Ousmane Dembele's career at Barcelona can best be defined as a string of terribly unfortunate tragedies. The French winger picked up a long-term injury in his first season at the club and never seems to be fully fit when he trains with the Barcelona squad.
The talented youngster's fitness issues were initially attributed to his lifestyle but Ousmane Dembele has seemed committed to Barcelona's cause in the recent past. However, French winger simply cannot seem to stay fit and has featured in only five games for Barcelona this season.
Barcelona has committed to being patient with the outrageously talented winger but if the club manages to drudge up sufficient money to fund a Neymar transfer, a potential swap deal with Paris Saint-Germain is always on the cards.
#3 Arturo Vidal
Arturo Vidal was bought by Barcelona for a very specific reason and the Chilean midfielder has largely fulfilled his role at the club. The former Juventus midfielder adds an element of directness to Barcelona's attack and is his presence in the final third has yielded results for the club in the past.
The general consensus among the Barcelona fanbase, however, is that Arturo Vidal is well past his prime. The midfielder's first touch has Barcelona the possession of the ball on several critical occasions and while he can still pick out a pass, his decision-making in the final third is not one of his best qualities.
Arturo Vidal has been linked with a move to David Beckham's MLS club Inter Miami. Serie giants Inter Milan are also interested in securing the services of the experienced midfielder. Barcelona may be willing to listen to offers for the Chilean star this summer.
#2 Philippe Coutinho
Barcelona bought Philippe Coutinho to try and fill the gaping hole left by the departures of Neymar and Andres Iniesta at the club. Ernesto Valverde tried to make Coutinho fulfil both roles and the Brazilian ended up doing neither.
At first glance, Philippe Coutinho's technical ability and creative prowess on the ball make the ideal fit for Barcelona. However, the former Liverpool maestro ended up occupying the same spaces as Lionel Messi on the pitch. The Brazilian found it difficult to adapt to the technically adept defensive structures of La Liga and was sent on loan to Bayern Munich.
The only reason Philippe Coutinho is not higher on this list is that Barcelona has been unable to find suitors for the Brazilian in the present financial environment. Coutinho may well return to Barcelona next season and will have to take his one last chance to prove himself under Quique Setien.
#1 Ivan Rakitic
Ivan Rakitic has been a mainstay in Barcelona's midfield for the past several years. The Croatian star won the treble in his first season at the club but has not hit his peak since 2015. Rakitic is also regularly criticised by the Barcelona fanbase for failing to create meaningful chances for the side and putting in underwhelming performances in important high-profile games.
With the arrival of Frenkie de Jong from Ajax, Ivan Rakitic has been relegated to Barcelona's bench on several occasions this season and has struggled to make an impact at the club. The midfielder was close to a move away from the club in the winter transfer window but decided to finish the season at Barcelona.
Rakitic has been linked with a transfer to his former club Sevilla and a decision could be made regarding his future in the coming weeks. The Croatian's departure will allow the likes of Riqui Puig and Frenkie de Jong to stamp their authority on Barcelona's midfield once and for all.
Also Read: Barcelona decides to part with midfielder Ivan Rakitic for a reduced fee