Revealed: the signings Barcelona will try to pull off this summer

Tom Weber

• 7 Apr 2023 19:13 BST
• 3 min read

Despite the club's financial troubles, Barcelona's shopping list for the summer transfer window is quite lengthy.

Long linked with Lionel Messi, the Blaugrana are looking for more than just the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner to help them get back to the summit of European football. In fact, any new signings won't just be made with an eye towards improvement on the pitch, but also improvement on the books.

Barcelona are planning to slash their wage bill in the summer in order to comply with LaLiga's Financial Fair Play regulations next season and to be able to procure the signature of Messi. To do that, new, cheaper contracts will have to be given out, payments deferred and new players on lower salaries brought in.

READ: Barcelona's most controversial 'financial lever' yet to sign Messi

Despite these obvious constraints, Barcelona are keen to bring in a handful of fresh faces in several positions, and the club's shortlist of targets paints a picture - rightly or wrongly - of extreme ambition.

Gundogan, Silva and Co

Spanish journalist Victor Malo has claimed on Twitter to know exactly which players Barcelona will target this summer. Among the obvious names of Messi, Vitor Roque and the extensively-linked Ilkay Gundogan of Manchester City are some other intriguing prospects.

According to Malo, in addition to Gundogan, "Bernardo Silva is the exact profile that the staff wants" in midfield, while Xavi is reportedly particularly keen on bringing Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi to the Camp Nou.

READ: Barcelona make REQUEST to complete Messi mega-transfer

At centre-back, the free-transfer arrival of Athletic Bilbao's Inigo Martinez is all but sealed, while right-back is the biggest area of concern. Joao Cancelo, Manchester United target Jeremie Frimpong, Diogo Dalot, Juan Foyth and Benjamin Pavard are all on Malo's list.

Yannick Carrasco and Marcus Thuram are seen as potential options on the left wing. Surprisingly, Marcus Rashford is also being floated, though that seems exceedingly unrealistic. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be targeted if Barcelona miss out on Roque.