Barcelona need sales in order to make signings – it is a line that has been repeated ad nauseam by the local and international press this summer, with the only statement to the contrary coming from President Joan Laporta. However the assets that would allow them to make those signings are not exactly willing to do Barcelona’s bidding at this point.
The prime example is perhaps Raphinha. The Brazilian was brought in for over €60m from Leeds United two summers ago, yet at no point has he been a guaranteed starter for more than a month or two, competing with injuries, Ousmane Dembele, and then Lamine Yamal.
With Barcelona looking to bring in one of Nico Williams or Dani Olmo this summer, that would more or less rule Raphinha out of a starting spot, yet Marca say that the 27-year-old is not even responding to the offers that have arrived at his door from Saudi Arabia and the Premier League. He continues to work hard in training, and has shown no desire to leave.
If Nico won't join, Barcelona will look for another left-winger in addition to Dani Olmo. @JoanPoquiEraso
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) July 30, 2024
If Olmo or Williams were to come in, they would be the third major signing in the wide forward positions in the three seasons Laporta has been back at the helm, following on from Ferran Torres and Raphinha. They both have three years remaining on their deals, and little intention of moving on soon.
Meanwhile, Vitor Roque is another recent signing that has found his name on the chopping block this summer. The 19-year-old arrived in January for €30m, and yet after just 353 minutes, has seen himself go from number nine of the future to persona non grata. Barcelona would reportedly like to sell him too, but Roque also would be well within his rights to point to the remaining seven years on his deal.
Ultimately, Barcelona are losing trust. All three players were given a supposed project, a route to stardom, and asked to make sacrifices financially to arrive at the club. Yet a season, if not less, later, it has been seen that either those plans were disingenuous, or Barcelona cannot be trusted to keep to their word – the result is the same.
Raphinha has not responded to any of the offers that have arrived at his door, from the Premier League or Saudi Arabia. (Marca) #FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/vROvdN7Sox
— Football España (@footballespana_) July 30, 2024
Barcelona will put no shortage of time into their branding and image, but no matter how loudly they shout about identity from Parc Guell or La Sagrera, the echo of their actions will continue drown out their cries. Naturally, the sun, the sand, wages and prestige will always give Barcelona a gravitational pull most clubs can only dream of.
Yet if they continue to sell dreams only to try and take advantage of their footballers, increasingly they will find it harder to convince players that their offer has other advantages beyond the more lucrative offers elsewhere. When the time comes that Barcelona do need to have an honest conversation about the future of a star, the chance of their players responding in good faith looks slimmer every season. Barcelona are writing quite the collection of cautionary tales about signing a deal with Laporta – soon the body of evidence will be hard to ignore, despite the romance of signing for them.
This is the problem staring Barca right in the face, which they and their fans ignore and why Williams has not signed with them. Fool me once shame you. Fool me twice shame on me.
. . . “Ultimately, Barcelona are losing trust. All three players were given a supposed project, a route to stardom, and asked to make sacrifices financially to arrive at the club. Yet a season, if not less, later, it has been seen that either those plans were disingenuous, or Barcelona cannot be trusted to keep to their word – the result is the same.”
Ruairidh Barlow – I was beginning to think I was the only one who saw this blatant disingenuous and dishonest behavior by Barcelona management toward their players. I really took notice when the Ousmane Dembélé situation began to unfold. His performance just prior to leaving Barcelona as well as his performance at PSG shows he was well worth his salary and it was a simple case of injury that was keeping him off the field.
Yup, no wonder players have been saying: uhm thanks but no thanks last and this summer. Their only signings are past best before date hasbeens who are looking to make a quick buck before they hang em up and ocassional overpayment – case in point vitor, that backfired spectacularly because boy was naïve enough to sign for this freakshow. But mark my words, vitor will also backfire on them, as Demebele buried them in CL. They arent just smart enough to figure it out… yet.
“Ultimately, Barcelona are losing trust. All three players were given a supposed project, a route to stardom, and asked to make sacrifices financially to arrive at the club. Yet a season, if not less, later, it has been seen that either those plans were disingenuous, or Barcelona cannot be trusted to keep to their word – the result is the same.”
Another day, another savaging of dildolona fans by Ruairidh. This man is taking their souls PAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA