Barça activates its plan of ups and downs

“Dear culés. I want to thank you for the support. We are already thinking about the future, about continuing to build this exciting project”, said Xavi Hernández in a letter addressed to the fans. With the aim of starting to execute his plan, the coach met this Friday at the Camp Nou offices with the club’s sports leadership, as this newspaper announced. In the meeting, which lasted about two hours, Xavi and part of his technical staff spoke with the president Joan Laporta, the sports vice president Rafael Yuste, the football director Mateu Alemany and also Deco, whose appointment as an official member of the technical secretariat continues earring. Alejandro Echevarría, one of Laporta’s most trusted people, also attended.

Although the negotiations for Xavi Hernández and his coaching staff to renew until 2026 are on the right track, yesterday’s meeting was exclusively to discuss the planning of the next course. In the first place, Mateu Alemany exposed the figures that the club manages to be able to sign after LaLiga’s placet to the feasibility plan. Barcelona’s salary mass continues to skyrocket and, according to the employer’s association, the club must reduce 250 million euros from its salary mass with sales and new income in sponsorships to be able to return to the 1-1 rule (for each salary that leaves, it can enter one equal) and sign normally in summer.

The new LaLiga regulations have prevented the club from activating asset sales (levers) to generate immediate income since November. And although it is true that the salary mass of the first team has been lowered considerably after the departures of Alba, Memphis, Piqué and Griezmann (only these last two have released 100 million euros) there are still 120 to lower to be able to sign normally. After becoming aware of the photograph of the situation, the sports leadership and Xavi are already aware that they will only be able to invest 40 percent of the savings they generate in transfers. “It will be difficult but we have to strengthen ourselves,” said those present.

Xavi, who appreciates the team’s effort to win the League and the Super Cup, two victories that he attributes to the fact that the team is a close team and has worked hard, prioritizes the arrival of a defensive midfielder to make up for the loss of Busquets and that of an interior to release Pedri. His favorites for the pivot and for the interior are Zubimendi and Gündogan. The second, who will play the Champions League final with Manchester City today, has already spoken several times with the coach. He would come free. With Zubimendi there will be talks in the coming days. They assume that it is difficult due to his clause (60 million) but they do not want to throw in the towel. “Everyone I’ve called has always wanted to come,” stressed the always optimistic Xavi. In the pivot position are also the names of Kimmich, Brozovic and Amrabat. Not so Ruben Neves. The one represented by Jorge Mendes is not liked by the coach. Yes, Iñigo Martínez is, the central defender who arrives from Athletic and is already in Barcelona pending signature.

In order to activate these two additions, Xavi will notify some footballers in the next few hours that he does not have them. Ansu Fati, Kessié and Ferran Torres are the chosen ones. Everyone senses it. In the case of Torres there have already been informal conversations with a member of the sports leadership. At the moment, there is no clear predisposition of the Valencian to leave. It will be easier with Ansu Fati whose environment and agent (Jorge Mendes) is for the job of getting him out. The club also wants to get rid of some players on loan. Looking for a team for Lenglet, Umtiti, Dest or Collado.

Finally, it seems that the option of activating the arrival of Yannick Carrasco, the Atlético de Madrid winger, has cooled down due to a matter of priorities and economic fair play. Nor is it preferable to incorporate a right back. Xavi, who spoke with Koundé again, sees it feasible for the Frenchman to occupy this position, Sergi Roberto or even Balde, whose renewal is a priority. Julián Araújo also liked that he has a record of the subsidiary and that he made his debut in Tokyo.