Xavi draws up star-studded 4-man transfer shortlist ahead of Barcelona arrival - Reports
Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez has reportedly requested the club make four transfers if he takes over as first-team manager at the Nou Camp. Xavi's transfer-list includes the likes of Paul Pogba, Erling Haaland, Dani Olmo and Jules Kounde.
The Catalan giants sacked Ronald Koeman last week after a string of disappointing results. Barcelona are in a precarious position, lying well outside the European spots in the La Liga table. They are also third in their UEFA Champions League group and run the risk of being eliminated before the first round of knockouts.
Barcelona B coach Sergi Barjuan has taken over as interim manager of the club, with former player Xavi Hernandez set to take over in the coming weeks. According to Spanish outlet El Nacional (via Barca Universal), the former midfielder has requested four players to improve Barcelona's squad.
Barça will send a delegation to Qatar to seal Xavi's move to the Camp Nou this week. It's expected to be done on Thursday. [md]
The Catalans have endured trouble on both ends of the pitch as they have been unable to score or defend their goal consistently. As a result, Xavi has asked for the signings of two attackers, a midfielder and a centre-back.
Borussia Dortmund forward Erling Haaland is the biggest name on his wish-list. Haaland has been linked with Barcelona previously, but the club simply don't have the finances to sign him. The Norwegian has started the 2021-22 season in incredible form, having managed 13 goals and four assists in just 10 matches.
The other attacker requested by Xavi is RB Leipzig's Dani Olmo, a graduate of Barcelona's La Masia academy. Olmo has played just four matches for Leipzig this term, registering one assist. He was linked with a move to Barcelona in the summer as well.
Xavi has also requested the signing of Paul Pogba, who is likely to be a free agent next summer. Pogba and Manchester United have so far failed to reach a contract extension. The Frenchman has seven assists in 12 matches across competitions this season.
Lastly, the Spanish tactician has also asked for the signing of Sevilla defender Jules Kounde. The 22-year-old has played 11 times for the Andalusians this season and remains an excellent future prospect.
Xavi's transfer shortlist looks largely unattainable due to Barcelona's financial situation
While there is no doubt that the likes of Haaland, Pogba, Olmo and Kounde will be upgrades for this Barcelona team, their signings are all complicated.
Pogba is on extremely high wages at Manchester United and is likely to demand the same at any club he transfers to. While Barcelona could potentially avoid paying any transfer fees for the Frenchman's services, his wage demands could still be too high for them to match.
In the cases of Haaland and Kounde, Barcelona will likely be expected to shell out massive, currently unaffordable transfer fees. Additionally, they will face plenty of competition from other clubs.
Barcelona are already preparing paperworks and contracts to appoint Xavi Hernández as new manager once deal-termination process with Al Sadd will be completed. 📑🤝 #FCB #FCBlive
After manager issue resolved, board focus will be on Dembélé, Gavi and Araújo new contracts. #Barça
Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG, Manchester City and Manchester United are all in the running for Haaland. All five clubs are also in a better position financially than Barcelona are and could beat the Catalans to the Norwegian's signature.
Similarly, Kounde has been viewed as a potential target by Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid. If it does come down to a bidding war between the clubs, Barcelona are likely to lose because of their economic situation.
At the moment, Olmo remains the Catalans' most feasible signing due to his La Masia roots. However, the midfielder is just 23 and has a contract until 2024 which is likely to mean RB Leipzig will demand a hefty transfer fee from Barcelona.
Unless the Blaugrana can rid their squad of the deadweight it currently has in abundance, Xavi's transfer shortlist looks unlikely to become a reality.