Barcelona may not be able to sign players in the January transfer window as sporting director Jordi Cruyff has stated that the club has been held back by La Liga’s Financial Fair Play rules.
The Catalan giants activated economic levers in the summer transfer window to ease off their financial crisis as well as make big-money signings such as Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde.
However, the strategy hasn’t entirely paid off. Although the Catalan giants lead the La Liga rankings this season, they suffered a humiliating elimination from the Champions League group stage.
The Blaugrana are now looking to offload players, which would help them reduce their wage bill and make room for potential incomings.
However, Cruyff has insisted that Frenkie de Jong is not for sale and is key to Barca’s future.
Barca tried to cash in on the former Ajax star last summer to balance their books amid their economic crisis.
Manchester United and Chelsea were keen, but a move never came to fruition as he was adamant he wanted to stay at Camp Nou.
Despite not being regularly used at the start of this season, De Jong has grown into a pivotal player of late for Xavi.
“Frenkie de Jong is not for sale,” Cruyff told Sport (h/t Fabrizio Romano).
“He’s a key player for us, so that time has passed. He’s here, and he’s important to us.
“At the end of last summer, after Fair Play discussions, he stayed here and Frenkie is really loved at Barça.”
His impressive performances in the Qatar World Cup may ensure him a more prominent role for Barcelona in the second half of the season.
Here are the players the Blaugrana could look to sell in the winter transfer window.
Memphis Depay
Of all the players linked with an exit, Memphis Depay looks to be the most likely departure in the January transfer window.
Depay has fallen down the pecking order, and the Catalan giants are keen to offload him to get him off the wage bill.
The Blaugrana are willing to sell him for €5 million, with Serie A giants AS Roma pushing for his signature.
Hector Bellerin
Arriving on a free transfer from Arsenal last summer, Hector Bellerin hasn’t made an impact for Barca this season.
Although the Spaniard wants to continue playing for his childhood club, the Catalan outfit are ready to sanction his sale.
Like Depay, Bellerin is also on Roma’s wishlist.
Franck Kessie
Franck Kessie’s future has been subject to intense speculation in recent weeks after reports emerged that he could be on his way out of Barca just after six months due to a lack of game time.
The Ivorian midfielder hasn’t convinced Xavi in his debut season, making only five starts in 13 appearances.
There are contrasting reports about Kessie’s future at Barca, with some stating that he could leave in January amid interest from Serie A clubs.
Recent rumours suggest that Barca want to keep hold of the former AC Milan star and offload him next summer, with Tottenham Hotspur leading the race.
Sergio Busquets
Sergio Busquets’ future has been plunged into doubt following Spain’s shock elimination from the World Cup against Morocco. He has also come under scrutiny for missing a penalty in the shoot-out.
Busquets has been tipped to leave Barcelona when his contract expires next summer, with MLS outfit Inter Miami the front-runners for his signature.
However, it remains to be seen whether the World Cup exit would impact his future and force an early departure.
Jordi Alba
Jordi Alba was also part of the Spanish side that got knocked out of the World Cup in the round of 16 against Morocco.
Alba has endured a difficult campaign at the club level this season, falling behind Alejandro Balde and Marcos Alonso in the pecking order.
Unlike the previous seasons, the veteran left-back is an expendable figure now, with Barca reportedly trying to sell him to Inter Milan last summer.
Alba’s contract expires in 2024, but there have already been reports of a premature contract termination.
