Barça now know their budget for signings this summer
The club know investment needs to be made in the first team
A right-back and a midfield player are the main two targets
Barcelona will not make as many signings as last season, but there will be players coming in to slot straight in to the first team. With Luis Enrique off, a new project begins and the club are focused on adding quality to support the MSN.
The expected investment on signings this summer will go above the 75 million euros which the club have to spend, with any money brought in from sales aded to that figure. Sales is the key to signing the three top players the club hope for.
Barça's planning has continued the same regardless of the manager situation. Robert Fernandez and his team have continued to look in the three areas they consider need improving, with the new manager then giving the OK before closing the operations.
Robert is working through right-backs, central defenders with potential and technical midfield players. He's been looking into prices and availibility and several conversations are already at an advanced stage.
Knowing that there's only 75 million to spend, sales will be key. Because while it's a high number, Robert knows that one big signing could completely eat in to what's available.
WAITING ON ARDA
Therefore, sporting director Robert is aware he must sell players who don't play regularly. And all eyes are fixed on Arda Turan and the Chinese market.
If the Turkish international says yes to a move to China, Barça feel they could bring in as much as 40 million euros. It's a sale which would genuinely allow the new project to flourish.
Robert's plan is to bet almost everything on two positions. The priority is a top level right-back. But prices are sky high in this area due to the competition on the market and the lack of players available.
Arsenal's Hector Bellerin is the top target, but there are others who would cost around 30 million euros. And the most expensive signing will come in midfield. Therefore, Barça are counting on selling well and having enough muscle to do a big deal -- they know that for less than 60 million euros it's difficult to sign a player ready to make the difference from the off.
Robert also wants to strengthen the defence with a left-footed centre-back who could also play as a full-back. Theo Hernandez was an option, but Real Madrid made a bigger offer. The rest of the money will go on an attacker who can play wide and unbalance defences.
GERARD Deulofeu
The plan is to bring back, whose price is fixed at 12 million euros, but the player still needs to give the OK. The operation would be good from a financial viewpoint, given it would add an international player who knows the club at a more than affordable price.
