Xavi has advised four Barcelona players to skip pre-season training and look for new clubs.
The Barcelona manager is set to begin a summer purge at the Camp Nou, with a number of first-team players already told not to report for pre-season training and to seek new clubs.
Barcelona manager Xavi has told four first-team players to skip pre-season training as the Catalans attempt to start a summer exodus.
The Spanish giants have long struggled with finances, which led to the departure of iconic forward Lionel Messi last summer. Despite having facilitated a number of sales in the previous 12 months - and having raised a reported £176m due to the sale of 10% of their TV rights - the Camp Nou's financial situation remains concerning.
This could result in a number of established faces leaving the club this summer, with Xavi reportedly making a decision on a number of his current squad.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the legendary former midfielder has told academy stars Oscar Mingueza and Riqui Puig not to come to pre-season training because they are no longer in his plans. Following Xavi's arrival, the former defender only made 14 appearances for Barcelona last season, while Puig only made 12 appearances.
Both are out of contract at the end of next season, so Barcelona will be keen to sell while they can still recoup fees rather than losing them for free in a year's time.
In addition, defender Samuel Umtiti is among those who could leave Catalunya sooner rather than later. The French defender joined the club from Lyon in 2016, but has struggled with injuries over the last four seasons.
He was expected to leave next summer, but he signed a new four-year contract in January until 2026, with a pay cut as the Spanish giants attempted to sign former Manchester City striker Ferran Torres.
Former Middlesbrough forward Martin Braithwaite is the final player to be told that his future lies outside of the Camp Nou. The Danish striker, 31, joined from Leganes in the middle of the 2019/20 season but has only scored ten goals in 56 appearances and made only five last season.
It persists to be seen whether any of the four find new clubs between now and deadline day, but their absences could extend to Barcelona's pre-season tour in the United States, where the Spanish club will face Inter Miami, Real Madrid, Juventus, and the New York Red Bulls.
Dutchman Frenkie de Jong appears to be another player who will not be joining Barcelona. Manchester United have reached an agreement to sign the midfielder after tracking him for the majority of the transfer window.
While they require sales this summer, the Blaugrana are hard at work bolstering their squad for the 2022/23 season. Raphinha of Leeds United has been strongly linked with a move to the Camp Nou, and despite Chelsea appearing to have agreed a deal for the Brazilian, Barcelona are still in talks with his agent Deco ahead of a possible summer transfer.
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