BarcelonaXavi Hernández’s Barça are excited. The team has chained three wins for the first time this season. Three convincing victories (Valencia, Naples and Athletic) in which the impact of the return of Pedri after the injury, the good functioning of the four winter signings and, most importantly, the crystallization of the new technician style manual. While positive messages are accumulating on the pitch, the work in the offices does not stop, as the sports planning for the coming months depends on the sum of new income that is currently being negotiated.
Via Spotify has been signing for more than a month, but the club is working to normalize the delay: “It is part of a process of this magnitude. [un màxim de 75 milions l’any]In parallel with the talks with the Swedes, the procedures for joining Barça in the LaLiga Impulso project, which is financed with millions of CVC, are being accelerated. As ARA explained, the agreement with the fund Goldman Sachs, the entity’s main creditor, is blessing CVC to keep 10% of Barça’s television rights. an indispensable condition for the money not to be returned. “We have been coordinating for months with auditors and prosecutors to find the fit,” sources in a negotiation that is in the decisive stages told this newspaper.
The objectives of these two major movements are to meet the revenue budget approved by the assembly and continue to build a sports project, with Erling Haaland as Joan Laporta’s main desire. But beyond the Norwegian, who will star in one of the soap operas in terms of the market, Barça are moving bravely to change the scenery of the first team’s defensive line. In this sense, the sports area has already signed two zero-cost signings, César Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen, and is looking for a left-back to oxygenate Jordi Alba. With the current squad of defenders in hand, only Hospitalet and Eric Garcia are 100% guaranteed continuity in the team for next year. The rest have some asterisks of more or less importance.
As there will be at least three strikes in the short term, Barça are clear that they will have to hand out strikes to free up too much salary and respect the fair play. To pole Samuel Umtiti, who was renewed to be able to register Ferran Torres, and Clément Lenglet, who has gone from being a starter to playing only 20% of the minutes, are indispensable. With Òscar Mingueza, the transfer will be sought in the summer, which could not be closed in the winter. And with Sergiño Dest, who has filled Alves’ vacancy in recent games with a lot of solvency, we will try to make money with a transfer that leaves profits.
In another area there are players who are part of Xavi’s plans but who, for various reasons, have not yet confirmed their continuity. The list is headed by Gerard Piqué. The Barcelona center-back, who holds the highest record in the defense, remains indisputable, but in the sports area they hope that he will communicate clearly what his future plans are, as he is 35 years old, contract until 2024 (under ‘a deferral) and what you decide will affect in terms of salary. Another veteran, Dani Alves, ends his contract on June 30, but will extend his commitment one more year “in 95% of the possibilities”, according to the entity. More war will be given to the renewal of Ronald Araujo, who ends his contract in 2023 and has important offers from the Premier. He wants to stay, although he asks for extra effort to sign the agreement 100%. If there is no white smoke with the Uruguayan, Barça will try to sell him this summer to generate a capital gain. Finally, Sergi Roberto is still waiting for a call from the club to extend his contract, which expires on June 30. If there is an offer, it will be very low. That is why the man from Reus has already asked his agents to find him a team.
German feeds Gaya’s doubts
As for the signings, Azpilicueta and Christensen will leave Chelsea free of charge and, if nothing goes wrong, they will land at the Camp Nou. The 32-year-old Basque is seen more as a right-back than as a center-back. Negotiations with his entourage come from afar, before Xavi came to the bench. Sub He believes that his time at Chelsea is over, he wants to return to Spain after 10 years in England and that his adaptation will be quick. Hence, the talks to agree on a three-season contract have been straightforward. With the Dane, on the other hand, he has had to fight against the auctioning logic of his representative. So much so that it took Matthew German to travel to London to move the matter forward. Greener is the operation to sign Noussair Mazraoui, Ajax right-back who also ends his contract. His arrival would be related to that of Haaland, as they share a representative: Mino Raiola. In 2009 the same thing happened with Ibrahimovic and Maxwell.
As for the side, Alemany is a supporter of the José Luis Gayà card. He knows Valencia well and has asked him not to renew (his contract expires in 2023). As the player has doubts and the X club do not want to make it easy for him to get rid of his captain, Barça are exploring other avenues, such as that of Álex Grimaldo, who also ends his contract next summer with Benfica and, therefore, , can be released in a few months in exchange for an affordable amount. Xavi knows the former Barça player well and is convinced that he can take advantage of them beyond the complicated nature that led to his premature departure from the club in 2015.
