Five Barcelona players who could leave this summer

Suraj Radia

• 17 Jul 2023 17:03 BST
• 4 min read

Barcelona's summer has not seen as much upheaval as anticipated due to their missing out on signing Lionel Messi.

The Catalan side would have had to axe several first-teamers in order to pay the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner's salary, but him deciding to sign for Inter Miami instead has proved a minor blessing in disguise.

That said, despite LaLiga giving the green light to the club's financial viability plan, Barcelona still need to sell in order to buy, having already struggled to complete the signing of Vitor Roque.

REVEALED: Barcelona's transfer priorities this summer

FootballTransfers takes a look at five Barcelona players who could leave the Camp Nou this summer, with the club hoping to make more signings to build upon their La Liga success last season.

Ansu Fati

Brazilian wonderkid Vitor Roque will only join in 2024, but his arrival could mean even fewer minutes for Ansu Fati.

The 20-year-old was once seen as Barca’s brightest prospect but injuries have limited him to just 11 La Liga starts last season and the club are said to be open to offers for him despite his desire to stay.

Still only 20, Fati will be keen to be a regular starter next season - but whether Xavi can guarantee that is up for debate. It might be best for his development if he were to move on.

Ousmane Dembele

Ousmane Dembele has had a turbulent time at Barcelona since making his huge €105m move from Dortmund in 2017, having dealt with injuries, poor form and even his contract expiring last summer.

Dembele ended up penning a two-year deal after revitalising his career under Xavi but his deal contains a release clause of €50m that becomes active from July – a figure which Bayern Munich and PSG, among other sides, have been known to be considering meeting.

Barca are determined to tie Dembele to another extension but the 25-year-old might be sold if an agreement can’t be reached to avoid him leaving on a free transfer next year.

Ferran Torres

Another forward who faces an uncertain future is Ferran Torres, having failed to convince Barca of his credentials during his first year and a half at the club.

The 23-year-old has struggled to win himself a regular place in the side since his €55m move from Manchester City in January 2022, and it may be time to seek greener pastures for the sake of his career.

Barcelona are said to be open to entertaining offers for Torres and they could even be tempted to make a loss on the player just to get him off the books.

Frenkie de Jong

Last summer’s never-ending saga could have a sequel this year as Frenkie de Jong is expected to be pursued once again by Manchester United.

The Dutchman was Erik ten Hag’s top transfer target last year and Barca accepted a bid of €80m for him, however De Jong was not keen on moving to Old Trafford, prompting United to move for Casemiro instead.

De Jong has since become an integral piece for Barca and the club do not wish to sell him anymore but United still see him as a perfect fit for their midfield and may attempt to see if the 25-year-old has changed his mind over a move this summer.

United will target a defensive midfielder after wrapping up deals for Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund.

Franck Kessie

Barcelona could face significant upheaval in midfield if De Jong leaves, with captain Sergio Busquets having already left the club.

However, despite the (potential) departures, another midfielder who could be sold is Franck Kessie, with the Ivorian struggling to adapt to life in La Liga since his free transfer from Milan last year.

Juventus and a number of Premier League sides have enquired about Kessie and Barca could be willing to sell him, although his departure will likely block any exit for De Jong - a good thing as far as Barcelona are concerned.