The fact that Xavi has been at the club for a few days does not mean that he was not aware of what was happening at the club, especially in terms of sports. According to Barça, their assistants have been analyzing the team with a magnifying glass for weeks, looking for strengths and weaknesses, waiting for Laporta’s call to arrive. A call that finally came on Wednesday, October 27, after the defeat at Rayo Vallecano. While Xavi, Barça and Al-Sadd were negotiating to terminate the contract with the Qatar club and close the return to Barcelona, the coach’s assistants intensified their work to catch up on what was happening on the pitch. .
Assignments with option to purchase
These are not good times for Barça’s economy. To the treasury problems are added the balances to comply with the already famous salary limit of the League. However, thanks to the movements of the summer, the entity was guaranteed about 20 million to be able to maneuver during January, when the winter market opens. Money, however, which has been partially reduced because Koeman’s dismissal and the hiring of the new coaching staff have had to be tackled. In any case, and despite the small margin, the club is confident that it will be enough to strengthen the first team. And, especially, the front, to improve one of the great shortcomings of this course: the lack of goal.
The letter to the Kings for the winter is three reinforcements. Of course, not in the form of traditional signings but with assignments with option to purchase. From Barça they justify that this formula can only be used not to exceed the salary limit. And it is that, in the case of going through cash and buying a footballer, there would only be room for an operation. It is not ruled out that in the end, once January arrives, and in the face of possible complications arising from the negotiations, a lot of money will end up being invested in a single footballer, although this is not the initial premise.
Sterling, second attempt
One of the candidates is Raheem Sterling. The Manchester City striker, in fact, was about to arrive in the summer. He had to take part in an exchange between Barça and City, in which Dembélé went to England and Sterling came to Barcelona. According to Esport3, the operation would have been carried out had it not been for the fact that Sterling, at the last minute, backed down. Now the possibility has reopened, albeit without exchange: just a cession. And, in any case, with the option to buy for the summer. The decision is in the hands of the City, which must decide whether or not to accept the agreement.
The other candidate is an egarenc: Dani Olmo. The operation, however, is complicated by the demands of RB Leipzig. According to Barça sources, the German team would welcome a transfer, but would demand that Barça buy the footballer before the end of the season. That is, before June 31, so the expense would be recorded in this season’s accounts. Finally, and as reported by the SER channel, the technical secretariat has detected some players who are having a few minutes on their respective teams and who could agree to come to Barcelona in the winter.
In parallel, the other big goal remains to lower the wage bill. Philippe Coutinho, Luuk de Jong or Samuel Umtiti are three names located on the starting ramp. At the club, however, they are aware that it will not be easy to find her. However, if it works out, the economic options for new additions would grow significantly.
.
