Busquets and Pique out: Barcelona expect to sell all four of their captains
Karan Tejwani
- 19 Sept 2022 14:05 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona are planning big overhauls in the summer transfer window next year, with many of their players set to depart after the expiry of their contract.
The club had several changes to the first team, having spent big on several players this summer including Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Jules Kounde, Franck Kessie and more.
There were also some key departures as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Riqui Puig, Martin Braithwaite and others left the club to balance the squad and the club’s accounts.
Now, the club are planning for the future and four long-standing players could be leaving the club next year, reducing the age of the squad and losing players with big contracts in the process.
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Barcelona have a plan for the future
The club expects their four current captains – Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Sergi Roberto and Jordi Alba – to leave the club next year upon the expiry of their deals.
Pique has already been frustrated by his lack of game time at the club and wants to play more, and his demeanor has disappointed coach Xavi, who is seemingly open to his departure.
Roberto left the club last season but his contract was renewed as Xavi saw him as a valuable squad option – he may be allowed to depart on a whole at the end of this campaign.
Xavi has decided that Frenkie de Jong will be Sergio Busquets' replacement.
— @ferrancorreas pic.twitter.com/LaictNdRKg— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) September 18, 2022
Alba was offered to Inter in the summer, something he wasn’t happy to do, but would be more open to leaving upon the expiry of his deal next year.
Busquets has been part of the first-team set-up, playing an important role in the first team in this season, so his departure will come as a slight surprise.
Barcelona have a plan for the captaincy next season: they want the captains to be Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Robert Lewandowski, while Pedri and Ronald Araujo will serve as the young deputies in the upcoming campaign.
