Five unanswered questions for Valverde following the Neymar saga

The transfer window has now closed and all the uncertainty which comes with it. "I am looking forward to it all ending and resting," Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said a few days ago. Yes, the question was about Neymar, but the reality is he was referring to a summer of rumours and media pressure. 

Finally, Valverde can settle. Well, not completely. One chapter has closed and another has now opened. 

With the squad now fixed until at least January, the coach now has several questions to answer. Some have come up following a tricky start to the season, others have been coming for a while and some are as a result of the offensive for Neymar. Let's look at them one by one... 

1. CAN SEMEDO BE THE REGULAR RIGHT-BACK?

Valverde substituted Semedo the other day against Osasuna at half-time, restructuring he team and moving Sergi Roberto back to right-back. He repeated throughout preseason that he wanted to use Roberto in midfield, his natural position, suggesting his complete faith in Semedo for the right-back position. That loyalty suffered a setback two and a half games into the season, though. 

Does Valverde firmly believe in Semedo as his No1 No2? He paid the price against Osasuna. Let's see what happens next.

1. SEVEN MIDFIELDERS FOR THREE ROLES... AND ALEÑA? 

The dilemma in midfield has generated a lot of noise. Rafinha has left but there's still an overbooking in the middle. If in preseason there were up to 10 options, including Riqui Puig, there are now only seven, with Puig back with the B team and Rafinha and Coutinho out on loan. 

You have to keep in mind that two of the seven look set: Busquets and Frenkie de Jong, leaving five players for one position. It's worth looking at Aleña's role in all this in what should be his breakout season. He started the first game but has not made the squad for the last two, with Rakitic's frustrated exit further complicating things for him. The other two midfielders are Arthur, who impressed in Pamplona, and Arturo Vidal. 

1. WHAT HAPPENS WITH IVAN RAKITIC?

The Croatian stayed. After being linked with various teams, Valverde still has one of his favourites in the squad. But in what role is he staying? He has been on the bench in all three games so far and hasn't played a minute in the last two. It could have been protecting him in the case he did leave. But now, what will Valverde do with him? As we said, he's always been a key player for the coach, so we could see his status return to normal. 

1. WHERE WILL GRIEZMANN PLAY WHEN MESSI'S BACK?

In these first few weeks of the season, Griezmann has been, save the obvious differences, Barça's Messi. Free to move in attack and, without Suarez, too, the false nine. All that will change when Messi is back. With Messi and Suarez fit, the left wing is left for Griezmann, a role he's played but not often. 

That will demand more pressing work (something he was used to under Simeone at Atletico) and probably less action in attack, which is where Messi takes control. There's an expectation to see how Barça's new trident connects. 

1. DEMBELE THE FOURTH FORWARD?

Another issue is Ousmane Dembele. His reluctance to move to PSG as part of the Neymar deal may not go down well with some. In any case, once he's back from injury, he will be the fourth forward behind the Messi-Suarez-Griezmann trident. But, the promise shown by Carles Perez and Ansu Fati, leaves doubts about who will be Valverde's No1 backup attacker. 

It remains to be seen how the Frenchman will return from his injury. For now, Ansu and Perez have the chance to show what they can do.