5 players Barcelona can sell to free up wages after bumper contract for Messi

Barcelona recently renewed Lionel Messi’s contract with a massive offer which sees him became the second highest paid player in the world after Neymar. With Barcelona’s wage bill already bloated, they will need to offload some players in order to go after new transfer targets like Antoinne Griezmann and Inigo Martinez.

Let’s take a look at 5 players Barcelona can offload without worrying much about the on-field implications.

Paco Alcacer

Alcacer doesn’t have the talent to become the first choice for a top club like Barcelona and his lack of versatility means that his chances in the first team are limited. Luis Suarez’s form might mean that Alcacer could get a look in, but it is highly unlikely that Barcelona will go into next season without signing another striker which will mean another season of sitting on the bench for Alcacer. It is better for all the parties involved for Alcacer to be sold.

Arda Turan

Barcelona did try to sell Turan in the summer but failed to do. Although he has returned from his injury, it is highly unlikely that Valverde will pick him. Finding a club for him remains the biggest hurdle.

Javier Mascherano

Mascherano has been a loyal servant to Barcelona for many years now. But having lost his first team position to Samuel Umtiti, Mascherano has found his opportunities limited so far this season. Even Lionel Messi reportedly wants his countryman to find a new club so that the central defender plays as much as possible before the world cup.

Aleix Vidal

Originally touted to be Dani Alves’s replacement, Vidal’s Barcelona career has never really taken off. Nelson Semedo and Sergi Roberto are currently ahead of him in the fight for the RB position. So there is no point in keeping him at the club as the third choice RB.

Andre Gomes

Andre Gomes is one player on this list with the potential to really make Barca regret if they sell him. But in his Barcelona career so far, Gomes has struggled to make an impact. For some player, playing for a lesser club with less pressure helps them fulfill their potential, Gomes might be one of them.