La Liga heavyweights Barcelona is reportedly planning a massive squad overhaul this summer. In a bid to raise up to $336 million for transfer activities, the Catalan club has identified four big names who will probably be shown the exit door.
According to ESPN, Philippe Coutinho, Samuel Umtiti, Ivan Rakitić, and Malcom are the four key individuals who will be sold, although others are most likely to join the departing party. Despite joining the Blaugrana over a year ago from Liverpool, Coutinho has failed to live up to his mammoth price tag.
As a result, the Brazilian playmaker has been used sparingly by Ernesto Valverde and his club is said to be interested in parting ways with him this summer should an offer in the region of 100 million euro arrive. Relatively, his countryman Malcom could also be on his way out after failing to break into the first team at Camp Nou.
For Umtiti, a niggling knee injury has seen him fall down the pecking order behind compatriot Clement Lenglet. The latter has been Gerard Pique's able partner in the ex-Lyon player's absence. Furthermore, the possible arrival of Ajax starlet Matthijs de Ligt also cast doubt on the future of the French defender with Barcelona already securing the service of his Ajax teammate Frenkie De Jong.
While the midfield department is almost saturated for the Camp Nou outfit, a tempting offer from any club could coerce the Catalans to sanction the sale of Ivan Rakitic whose wage demand in a new contract is yet to be met.
As per ESPN's account, Barcelona will also consider the sale of backup shot-stopper Jasper Cillessen, as well as Rafinha Alcantara, Denis Suarez, Andre Gomes, among a host of others. In all, La Liga's defending champions are expected to raise between $280 million and $336 million to fund the potential transfers of Matthijs de Ligt, Luka Jovic and Antoine Griezmann.
