Barcelona will be working overtime between these few months and the end of the season as they try to find solutions for their team that will help them compete against the very best in Europe.
The club will focus on low-cost solutions who can plug holes in the team and raise the overall level of the team. However, Barça will have to deal with the futures of several players in the squad before that.
This includes captain Sergi Roberto, whose contract expires in the summer of this year. While he does not have a starting role in the team, Xavi has made it clear that the player is important to his dynamics and has publicly asked the club to renew his contract.
15th season with Barcelona
According to a report published by Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona and Sergi Roberto have reached an agreement over a one-year extension for the player’s contract, which will be put into effect till the end of 2024/25.
Barcelona will likely wait until the end of the season to officially announce his extension.
The Spaniard is one of the lowest-earners in the squad, and will earn the same around after the extension.
This will be his 15th season at Barcelona after making his debut in 2009 under Pep Guardiola. He is also the longest-serving player in the team, by some distance, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen completing his ninth season.
A good move by Barcelona?
Now 32, Sergi Roberto does not occupy an important role in any position in the team, with Pedri, Ilkay Gundogan, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi, Fermin Lopez, and even Andreas Christensen ahead of him in the midfield pecking order.
Xavi also prefers the services of Jules Kounde and Joao Cancelo at right-back over him, while Hector Fort is also expected to get more minutes next season.
Roberto is also on very low wages, which barely hurts the club, and while he has made some a couple of costly mistakes this season – one each against Athletic Club and Girona -, his overall performances have been decent enough.
Further, with most of the team young and inexperienced, it might not be the worst idea to let Roberto continue at the club, as long as Xavi continues to prioritise meritocracy.
