FC Barcelona is working to sign three or four starting players according to Mundo Deportivo, which … [+]
FC Barcelona is working on signing “three or four players” which have been demanded by head coach Xavi Hernandez according to Mundo Deportivo, which cited anonymous sources.
The manager was left seeting after Saturday’s 4-2 loss to Girona which knocked Barca down to third place, and out of the last Spanish Super Cup qualifying spot, while also handing bitter rivals Real Madrid the La Liga title Barca won in spring last year.
“We need to change a lot of things next season,” Xavi said in a fiery post-match rant where he lamented that many players had played below their level or that expected of his boyhood club.
“It’s time to plan with Deco and the president. We’ll see what we want and what we can do,” he added.
Though Xavi denied this at the press conference that announced the U-turn development, Mundo Deportivo reported that he demanded the signing of certain players, or that some stayed, in order to go back on his original decision to step down on June 30.
Xavi will now at least fulfil his contract until the same date in 2025, that is if he isn’t dismissed before for poor results such as that endured in Montilivi on Saturday.
The same outlet follows up on that report by revealing some of the signings, those of “three or four starting players” that sporting director Deco is working on.
A pivot is the top priority after Sergio Busquets was never replaced properly, and as in 2023, Xavi wants either Joshua Kimmich from Bayern Munich – who has just over a year left on his own deal like Xavi – or Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi who has a release clause.
A left winger is also needed, and the sporting department likes former La Masia reject Dani Olmo at RB Leizpig or Copa del Rey winners Athletic Club’s Nico Williams.
Third up is an “interior” midfielder with Bernardo Silva being Xavi and president Joan Laporta’s white whale that can be delivered by activating his $63 million (£50 million) release clause.
Anonymous sources consulted by Mundo Deportivo insisted that the pivot and the winger are top priorities while the rest – which could also include a striker – “will depend on departures”.
All these players cost around what Silva would without taking into account a frontman, and we might be talking about Barca having to raise something north of $200 million to land all its targets.
