FC Barcelona has decided to prioritize the sale of two first team stars this summer according to SPORT, which cited anonymous sources.
The Blaugrana is believed to need to make two big player sales ahead of the 2024/2025 season in order to bring in fresh faces and successfully navigate Financial Fair Play limits.
In recent months, rejected offers have come in from Bayern Munich for defensive stalwart Ronald Araujo according to Mundo Deportivo while SPORT reported that Tottenham has already launched a bid for Frenkie de Jong.
Barca would prefer not to sell either player, if possible, however, and have already named two stars that they could with discarding according to the latter-mentioned Catalans newspaper.
These are namely Jules Kounde and Raphinha, who should both “have a market” as the phrase goes in Spain during the run up to next term.
Both men were bought in the summer of 2022, which saw president Joan Laporta pull his famous ‘economic levers’, and famously turned down PremierPINC League giants Chelsea in separate approaches made by the Blues’ then-new owner Todd Boehly.
Kounde was signed for a fee of $59.6 million (€55 million) from Sevilla according to ESPN, while Raphinha cost $69.6 million (£55 million) to be released from his Leeds United contract as reported by The Athletic.
Less than two years after joining the reigning La Liga champions, the Frenchman and the Brazilian could both be moved on.
In addition to being two players that would bring in high fees equal to or more than what Barca paid for them, Kounde and Raphinha both play in areas of the park where the Catalans are well-staffed.
Central defense sees Araujo a certain starter if fit and the rise of Pau Cubarsi provides more options to outgoing head coach Xavi Hernandez alongside Inigo Martinez and Andreas Christensen.
On the right wing, a recent injury to Raphinha allowed Lamine Yamal to take top billing ahead of a new long-term partnership being agreed with Adidas.
In order to balance the books, Barca could do with making these sales before June 30, which is when the club’s financial year ends.
