The COVID-19 pandemic has brought huge financial losses on the footballing world and Barcelona, one of the biggest teams in the globe, are not exempt from this. In fact, according to reports, all but three players at Camp Nou are expendable if needed to get a transfer across the line.
The Blaugrana board is keen on doing business once the transfer window re-opens but due to the drop in revenue due to the coronavirus, the Spanish giants are in a dilemma. While the price tags for in-demand players are unlikely to drop in the summer, Barcelona’s spending power will have diminished when the window re-opens. As a result, they are considering player-plus-cash and direct swaps to land their targets.
According to an ESPN source (as per the Daily Mail), only three players at the club are untouchable, with Lionel Messi understandable being one of them. The other two are Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Frenkie de Jong. These three players have been ever-present in Barcelona’s lineup this season, making a combined 102 appearances so far this term.
“There is not going to be as much money in the transfer market because of the pandemic. But I predict that we are going to see a lot more swap deals,” club president Josep Maria Bartomeu recently admitted, a confession which adds weight to the ESPN report.
Two players high up on the club’s wish list are Lautaro Martinez and Neymar. The Argentine and Brazilian were never going to be cheap, with the financial implications from the coronavirus pandemic meaning it will be one or the other – not both – for the Blaugrana.
One star player who could be offered in a swap deal is Antoine Griezmann. Despite only arriving in Catalonia last summer, the Frenchman has not impressed and could thus be put on the chopping block.
