Despite certain financial problems of Barcelona, this team is still one of the main contenders for silverware in all the Spanish football competitions. After an active summer transfer window, where the Catalans were able to strengthen their squad with good players, at the moment, the team is in first place in La Liga and is ahead of last year’s champion Real Madrid. Unfortunately, the Blue Garnet have already completed their campaign in the Champions League, but already starting in the spring, Lewandowski and the company will have a chance to win a new tournament for themselves – the Europa League.
Barcelona are used to playing on several fronts at once, but for this, any team needs to constantly improve their squad. Mostbet bookmakers, of course, consider Barca one of the main contenders for the title in the Spanish Championship and the Europa League, but for this, the head coach needs constant strengthening of the squad. Consider the prospects for Barcelona in the winter transfer window.
Transfers during the summer off-season
The summer transfer window turned out to be very active for the Catalans. Barça made a lot of TOP transfers and significantly strengthened their squad. For 58 million euros, the Brazilian winger Rafinha from Leeds joined the team. The transfer of Jules Künde from Sevilla cost the club 50 million euros. The transfer of Bayern Munich’s top scorer Robert Lewandowski cost the Catalans 45 million euros.
The rest of Barcelona’s signings were free, with many players joining the club as free agents. These include AC Milan’s Frank Kessier, Chelsea’s Andreas Christensen, Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin and Marcos Alonso, who also played for Chelsea. After such a powerful transfer window, the Blue Garnet fans would not have forgiven the club if they had not claimed the championship since the beginning of the championship. Coaches and football players have not let their fans down yet. Barça are in 1st place.
Barcelona’s main goals for the 2023 winter transfer window
Frankly speaking, the team does not have a budget for the winter transfer window, therefore, the club’s sporting director Jordi Cruyff suggested that the fans dream of transfers for free. After a €150m asset sale over the summer, Barça’s budget is now zero. Some players left and others came.
Despite as many as 8 signings in the summer, Catalan coach Javi Hernandez would have liked to strengthen the squad even more, but this was not possible. Barcelona need at least one more attacking midfielder, as well as a defensive midfielder to replace Sergio Busquets, whose contract expires in June. Barcelona’s top target continues to be Real Sociedad defensive midfielder Martin Subimendi, but due to his high cost (€60m), the club needs to look elsewhere. A good alternative is Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante, who can move to the Blue Garnet camp in the summer transfer window for free. Also, Barcelona dreams of Bernardo Silva from Manchester City, but it is unlikely that such a transfer can be made in January.
Thus, we dare to assume that Barça will not be active in the winter transfer market. The maximum that a team can afford is to rent a free agent.
Who can leave Barcelona in the winter transfer window 2023
If we talk about players who can leave Barça in the winter, then first of all we need to consider the striker of the Dutch national team Memphis Depay, who is on an expiring contract. Barcelona are open to negotiations, however, in order to release the Dutch striker from his salary, the Catalans may have to let Depay go without compensation. Midfielder Frank Kessy, who came to Barcelona from Milan in the summer, also has a big lack of playing time, but it is unlikely that Barça bosses will let him leave, as well as Hector Bellerin.
Another player who will leave the team in the nearest or subsequent transfer window is Sergio Busquets. The Spanish defensive midfielder is likely to move to one of the MLS teams. The club is leaving Busquets to decide on his own, but all indications are that his campaign at Barcelona is coming to an end. Probably in the near future, the Catalans will sign a new contract with left-back Alejandro Balde, who is praised by the media and the head coach. The situation with Sergi Roberto largely depends on his results. The departure of this player also does not need to be completely ruled out.