The three players Ernesto Valverde's asked to be moved on

The three players Ernesto Valverde's asked to be moved on

Valverde tiene claro que algunos jugadores deben salir en el mercado de invierno
Valverde tiene claro que algunos jugadores deben salir en el mercado de invierno | sport

The club struggled to move players on in the summer window

Arda Turan, Rafinha and Alcacer could all leave in January

Barcelona's January priority is for players to leave before players come in. Ernesto Valverde has already said that the squad is too big and he's told the club, too. There has to be exits for those that aren't playing and Barça have got to work. Save any over-the-top offer for other players, Barça are working with the idea of moving on Arda Turan, Paco Alcacer and Rafinha in January, although the latter's case is more complex due to his injury. 

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Barça will begin by speaking with the players, if not now, then in the coming weeks to look for the best solution for all parties. And they're difficult cases. Arda has not been in the squad and his value has plummeted. He has two-and-a-half years on his contract and the club don't want to make a huge loss, so they still hope to get 20 million euros for him. A loan might not be so bad, as a good spell elsewhere could add to his value again. 

Alcacer is not in Valverde's plans. Barça would have preferred to take a chance on Munir but Luis Enrique wanted a more experienced forward. He cost 30 million euros on a five-year deal. The club would be looking to get 24 million back for him, although they have not ruled out a loan. Lille are among the clubs intererest. 

As for Rafinha, his fitness makes a departure difficult even though he's not in the club's plans long-term. There's still around three months to go before he can return to action, so he could be back just in time for the January window. His focus is on getting fit for next summer and seeing what offers he gets then. There could be many more twists and turns before then, though, and he has suitors.