The five players that could leave Barcelona in January transfer window
The club want to lighten the squad when the market opens
Rafinha, Deulofeu & Aleix Vidal all have clubs interested in them
Barcelona are working on January changes. Ernesto Valverde wants a smaller squad and the club also needs to reduce the wage bill to make room for future signings.
Therefore, the club are looking at players who could leave. Some the club want to move on, others may be allowed to leave due to interest from other clubs in signing them. For example, Celta Vigo want Rafinha on loan. The Brazilian is up for the move -- he played for the club under Luis Enrique in 2013-14.
Gerard Deulofeu, Aleix Vidal, Arda Turan and Javier Mascherano are the other players who could leave this winter.
Rafinha
Rafinha has just come back from a serious injury and wants to play in order to make Brazil's World Cup squad. Celta have asked for him on loan and the player would go. He played there under Lucho, who was assisted by Juan Carlos Unzie at the time. Unzue is now in charge at Celta. Barça have given Rafinha the freedom to choose his own future.
Aleix VIDAL
The former Sevilla player has a good reputation, expecially in Spain and Italy. If he leaves, it would be a permanent deal. His departure would allow the club to invest elsewhere, so a loan would not be contemplated. Vidal has various options, with Sevilla and Atletico interested. Inter, too, are following the situation.
deuloFEU
Deulofeu's future is complicated. Valverde has lost confidence in him and with Ousmane Dembele set to return his chances of action reduce further. Therefore, Deulofeu's thinking about a return to Italy, with Inter keen. They want him on loan until 2019, when his contract expires at Camp Nou. In the case that he leaves, it would be a definitive goodbye, then.
Mascherano
Mascherano's goodbye is almost in place. The Argentine will leave for Hebei Fortune in January, as long as there are no late twists. Barça are holding out for €10 million from the Chinese Super League club.
Arda TURAN
A compicated case financially. Arda Turan has not played a single minute under Valverde and it's obvious he doesn't have a future at the club. But his high wages are slowing down his departure. A return to Turkey is his most likely option, with Besiktas an option if the money can be sorted.
