Barca are still fighting a battle to comply with wage regulations in La Liga and that will not change this summer. This allegedly causes the club’s management to consider generating income by selling the late Koundé or Andreas Christensen.
Even though the season is only halfway through, sporting director Deco and the rest of the sporting management are already planning the summer’s transfer window. Here, once again, it will be the economy that will create the framework for what is possible.
According to the newspaper Sport, Xavi has asked Deco for a central defense of four players for next season, two of whom must be left-footed. Today, only Iñigo Martínez uses his left leg as his preferred one.
The plan was to bring Chadi Riad home from the loan deal at Betis. The Spaniard with a Moroccan background is doing well at Betis and his salary expectations will also be on the low end. At 20 years old, he will be a good guard for Iñigo Martínez.
Deco must thus get rid of one of the three right-footed defenders, Araujo, Koundé or Christensen. Ronald Araujo is untouchable, although he is probably the one of the three who can bring in the biggest transfer fee. However, Xavi does not want to get rid of Araujo, so the choice seems to be between Koundé and Christensen.
Which of the two draws the shortest straw this summer will depend on two things. Partly the performances for the rest of the season, partly what comes from offers from other clubs.
From a financial point of view, Andreas Christensen looks like the most obvious selling point. Barca picked him up for free from Chelsea and thus any transfer fee will be a pure profit, while the club had to pay 50 million. euros for Jules Koundé, an amount they are unlikely to get back for the Frenchman now.
Xavi is very excited about Iñigo Martínez, even though the Basque has been quite injured in his first season at the club and since he is also left-footed, he will not be sold this summer.
It may therefore very well be that Andreas Christensen is starting his last season in the Barca shirt. His contract runs until 2026, but the interest from the Premier League should be great, so it will hardly be difficult to find a new club at a high level for the Dane.
