Barcelona manager Xavi decides first choice attacking trio for start of the season - Reports
Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has chosen Ousmane Dembele, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha as his first-choice attacking trio for next season, according to Directo Gol (h/t BarcaUniversal).
Barca have worked hard behind the scenes to ensure they go into the new season with the aforementioned attackers. Dembele ran down his contract and became a free agent before extending his stay at Camp Nou for two more years.
Lewandowski joined Barcelona from Bayern Munich for a fee of €45 million. Raphinha, meanwhile, left Leeds United and joined Xavi Hernandez's side in a deal that could cost them up to €55 million.
After working hard to sign these world-class attackers, it is natural for Xavi to want to play them week in, week out. Lewandowski is a proven goal-scorer while Dembele and Raphinha are two of the best dribblers out wide in world football.
Barcelona have other attackers who will be competing to get into the team's starting XI. Memphis Depay's future is uncertain despite an impressive debut season in La Liga, but as of now, he remains at Camp Nou.
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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres, and Martin Braithwaite are some of the other options that Xavi has at his disposal. Apart from Depay, Aubameyang could also feel the impact of Lewandowski's arrival.
He left Arsenal for Barcelona last January but is now set to be out of the starting XI if Xavi plans to stick with his reported favored front three.
Barcelona striker demands club to pay full two-year salary before contract termination
According to Sport, Martin Braithwaite is demanding that Barcelona pay off his contract if they wish to let him leave as a free agent. The striker still has two years left on his contract at Camp Nou.
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The Denmark international joined the Catalan giants from Leganes in February 2020 for a fee of €18 million. He has scored 10 goals and provided five assists in 57 appearances during his time with Barca.
A number of clubs have apparently contracted Braithwaite, but he is still bound by his contract, which expires in the summer of 2024. It is evident that Xavi has an abundance of options in attack going into the new season.
He would want to get some players off the club's wage bill and Braithwaite could be considered expendable.
Given their financial problems, it would be wise on their part to try and balance their books by getting rid of players that don't serve Xavi any purpose.