News Focus
- Hansi Flick will hold private talks with four Barcelona players about their future at the club
- The La Liga giants must sell players to create salary space for new signings
- Full-backs Alejandro Balde and Jules Koundé face uncertain futures after losing their places in El Clásico
- Captain Ronald Araújo and winger Roony Bardghji will also discuss their options with the German coach
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick is preparing for a series of important one-on-one meetings. The German coach will speak individually with four members of his first-team squad to decide their future at Camp Nou.
The Catalan club wants to sign a new centre-back and centre-forward this summer. However, they must first raise funds through player sales to meet their salary limit rules. This financial situation means several squad members could leave before next season.
Spanish newspaper MD reports that Flick will meet with full-backs Alejandro Balde and Jules Koundé. Both players watched the recent El Clásico against Real Madrid from the substitute bench. Eric García and João Cancelo started the match instead of them.
Flick admitted it was not easy for Koundé to miss such a big game while fully fit. The manager also explained that his coaching staff are working closely with Balde to help the young defender improve for next season.
Swedish winger Roony Bardghji is the third player set for talks. Club captain Ronald Araújo will also meet with Flick, even though the Uruguayan defender has said he wants to stay. Araújo has struggled to get regular minutes since returning from a long injury break in December.
Not all players linked with moves want to leave. Raphinha, Fermín López and Marc Casadó have all stated publicly that they plan to remain at Barcelona for the coming campaign.