Barcelona won't necessarily be considered a selling club, but rumours suggest they'll need to sell an expensive, high-profile player or two in the coming transfer window if they are to bolster their squad for the 2024/25 campaign. Here are their five most valuable, and perhaps most sellable, stars.
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The club's financial mismanagement in recent years has been well-documented. Selling Neymar for a world-record €222 million (R4.4 billion) in 2017 should have allowed the club the chance to rebuild carefully, but instead Barcelona brought in Philippe Coutinho in a deal worth €135 million (R2.6 billion) and Ousmane Dembele for the same amount.
In 2019, €120 million (R2.3 million) was paid to Atletico Madrid's accounts for the signature of Antoine Griezmann. Today, none of those players remain at the Blaugrana and they're all thought of as big-money flops. The club's economic situation only worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, and those effects are still being felt upstairs as the hierarchy, led by president Joan Laporta, seek to find creative ways to improve the first-team squad ahead of next season. Reports suggest a key player could be sold, but who could that be? Let's look at who the club's five most valuable players are.
Ronald Araujo (25 years old) – €70 million
A senior member of Barcelona's squad since 2020, the hard-tackling Uruguayan has been tipped as the club's best chance of bringing in big money at the end of the season. The centre-back has been linked with Bayern Munich and Manchester United, and could command a transfer fee upwards of his current value. Araujo is 25 years old and is considered a top defender with a bright future, but his injury record could be a slight concern for the powers-that-be. Since the start of last season, he has missed 30 matches for club and country due to fitness issues.
Frenkie de Jong (26 years old) – €70 million
It was no secret Barcelona wanted to sell the Dutchman to Manchester United in 2022 after the English side appointed ex-Ajax Amsterdam manager Erik ten Hag. De Jong, however, fought to remain at the Catalan giants, but his future has become a hot topic once again. Reports claim the 26-year-old is someone the club wouldn't hesitate to move on should an appropriate offer for his services arrive, but it could all once again depend on the player himself.
Lamine Yamal (16 years old) – €75 million
While he might represent Barcelona's best chance at financial security, considering the money selling the young winger would bring in, Lamine Yamal is not for sale. The Blaugrana starlet is comfortably among the best talents in world football at the moment, and he is still just 16 years old. President Laporta will be hoping the La Masia graduate continues developing at his current rate so that in the near future he is someone the team is built around.
Pedri (21 years old) – €80 million
One or two years ago, the idea of the Catalan side selling Pedri would have been deemed unfathomable. Today, perhaps not as much. The 21-year-old has missed a lot of football in recent years, leading to concerns over his long-term future. This season alone, Pedri has been unavailable on 19 occasions, but is still considered one of the game's leading midfield talents. Right now, it is likely Barcelona see him as one of their untouchables. That, though, could change should his fitness troubles persist.
Gavi (19 years old) – €90 million
Speaking of untouchables, Gavi is certainly that at Barcelona. Still only 19 years old, the midfielder is only expected to return to action in June after suffering a serious injury in November last year. The tenacious teenager has missed 36 games this season for the Blaugrana, but it appears highly unlikely Xavi Hernandez and Laporta will agree to sell despite him being the team's most valuable player, as per Transfermarkt.
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