Boss Xavi to tell surplus Barcelona players they can leave this week

The viability plan that Barcelona has prepared and that will be approved by LaLiga must work to the millimetre in order to achieve the objectives set in terms of signings. The club is obliged to let players leave before signing and the candidates to go have been marked for weeks. Just yesterday, the president, Joan Laporta, dodged commenting on any final call with Ansu Fati and, above all, made it clear that everything would depend on the decisions made between the sporting area and the coaching staff. And it is now that Xavi Hernandez will have to roll up his sleeves to give the bad news. 

The still director of football, Mateu Alemany, has been preparing the ground with the agents of the indicated footballers, but the coach will have to speak this week with the players to make their situation clear to them: that in Barça they are not going to have opportunities and that the best thing they can do for themselves and for the club is to look for a new team.

The date chosen for these contacts is not trivial. They wanted to take advantage of the first window after winning the league title to open the box of thunder. Because for a cohesive dressing room, it is not at all pleasant to know that some teammates have to leave in order for this to work. And it is being done now because Barça need to make a big sale before 30 June and, above all, to save money to bring in those who will come in.

Barça have always made it clear that there will be no unwanted sale unless a first-choice player asks to leave and a big offer arrives. For this reason, the club will prioritise the sale of the players who have had the least minutes. The first list is limited to Ferran Torres, Ansu Fati, Franck Kessié and Jordi Alba. These four players will be free to listen to offers and, in some cases, there are already advanced negotiations for their departures pending the players' OK. The talk with Xavi will only be to make it clear that the club is pushing them to leave in a summer in which no favours can be done. As painful as it is, the club needs to force through these sales in order to strengthen the team with full guarantees.

We will have to see if Xavi's advice ends up having an effect because some of the players' desire to continue at Camp Nou is at a standstill. Barça and the coaches will be categorical not to deceive anyone and, as was done in with Piqué, all will be warned that a new cycle at the club will lead them to the bench with total security. The days ahead will be hectic and necessary at an internal level with Xavi who, more than ever, will demonstrate that he is a club coach.