Three Players Who Barcelona Should Sell In The Summer
Barcelona’s first season under the management of Ernesto Valverde has been a bit of a mixed bag.
While the club are set to reclaim the La Liga title from bitter rivals Real Madrid, the manner of their exit from the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals against AS Roma after going into the second leg of the tie with a three-goal advantage will definitely have hurt.
Valverde has made the team much stronger defensively. The Catalans are much more well-organised at the back but one cannot shake off the feeling that they have grown more reliant on the brilliance of Lionel Messi.
The Argentine, for years, has been the focal point of Barcelona’s attack but he has had players around him who were match winners in their own right and that is something that this Barca side seems to be lacking at the moment. Investment over the summer to rectify that aspect is very much a given and in order to do that, the Blaugrana must let some players leave the Camp Nou at the end of the season.
Here we pick three players that Barcelona would be better off selling;
Andre Gomes
Having moved to Barcelona from Valencia in the summer of 2016, a lot of expectations were riding on Andre Gomes. However, the Portuguese international never managed to live up to the billing.
The 25-year-old endured an extremely difficult campaign under Luis Enrique but there were hopes that a managerial change in the summer could turn his fortunes around. However, that hasn’t been the case as Gomes’ struggles have continued under Valverde as well. So far this term, the Portuguese has featured in 30 games in all competitions, out of which just 11 have been starts.
The midfielder has talent in abundance but things just haven’t worked out for him at Camp Nou and both, the player and Barca, would be best served by choosing to their separate ways.
Lucas Digne
Another signing from Enrique’s last season in-charge that has bombed badly for Barcelona, Lucas Digne should be sold ahead of next campaign.
Signed from PSG for a sizeable fee, the 24-year-old Frenchman hasn’t been able to challenge first-choice left-back Jordi Alba for a place in the starting XI at all and has struggled for game time. Injuries too have played a part in his hardship with the Catalans. Digne has made 44 appearances for Barca, 18 of which have come in the ongoing campaign, scoring and assisting 2 goals apiece.
With the Catalans looking at the likes of Luke Shaw, Digne’s time at the Camp Nou should come to an end.
Aleix Vidal
Signed from Sevilla back in the summer of 2015, Vidal has failed to establish himself as a key first-team member at the Camp Nou and has been seen as more of a bit-part player by Valverde and his predecessor, Enrique. Till date, the 28-year-old has made only 50 appearances, scoring 4 goals and assisting 12.
In the ongoing campaign, Vidal has come up with returns of 2 goals and 4 assists from 24 games. The versatile full-back came close to leaving Barcelona in the January transfer window but a move to AS Roma fell through. However, it is time for Barcelona to sell him in the summer.