Barcelona are gearing up for a busy summer ahead, with the board likely to be met with some difficult decisions in regard to team building.
There are already three first-team stars running the risk of being offloaded in the coming summer, but with the club desperately requiring an infusion of funds, there could be more departures as time progresses.
According to Gerard Romero, even the futures of Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha are not safe. The two attackers have played a crucial role for Barcelona this season, though the former has had to spend some time on the sidelines due to an injury.
Romero points out that the Barcelona coaching staff want both Raphinha and Dembele to stay at Camp Nou. This comes shortly after Romero revealed how the likes of Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati have been put on the ‘exit ramp’ ahead of the summer transfer window.
The coaching staff, therefore, believes the presence of Dembele and Raphinha could be crucial next season.
However, it appears the Barcelona board is in favour of sanctioning the sale of Dembele. The Frenchman has been one of Barça’s best performers since the start of 2022, but they are aware of the fact that the attacker might not continue at Camp Nou without a substantial salary increase.
Dembele’s current deal at Camp Nou expires in 2024. It also includes a release clause worth ̉€50 million, which can be activated this summer.
Barcelona are keen on extending Dembele’s contract, but convincing the attacker could be tricky without a good financial incentive. The board, therefore, believes they should sanction the sale of the former Dortmund starlet, who can generate up to €50 million this summer.
However, it will not be surprising to see Dembele choosing to see out his contract until 2024 instead and not allow Barça to gain from his sale in the coming summer.