FC Barcelona faces tough decision on which forwards to sell

FC Barcelona are already thinking about the summer transfer window especially after missing out on millions in revenue from European competitions. The next few months will be a crucial time for the squad as many tough decisions will have to be made when it comes to which players will stay and which players will be moved on.

The club's forwards are currently under the microscope after they failed to deliver on high expectations. There was a lot of hype surrounding the Barcelona attack when the season began, but they have generally been underwhelming in the first half of the campaign.

Ousmane Dembele and Robert Lewandowski

Among all the Barcelona forwards, Dembele and Lewandowski appear to be safe from the chopping block. The Polish forward arrived from Bayern Munich to seek a new challenge in La Liga, and while he has done well, there is a general feeling that he should have produced more fireworks. Lewandowski has scored 25 goals in all competitions so far, which is a good number but still below his yearly average while he was with the Bundesliga giants.

Dembele, meanwhile, has proven himself despite a lengthy transfer saga in 2022 that saw his contract expire in June. He was expected to find employment elsewhere, but was eventually resigned a few weeks later that summer with a new contract that keeps him at the Camp Nou until 2024. In the current season, he has scored a total of eight goals in 28 appearances across all competitions.

Raphinha

The Brazilian has had some stellar moments on the pitch this season, but his high price tag may put a target on his back if Barcelona end up becoming desperate to generate cash. Numerous clubs across Europe will be eager to sign Raphinha, and Barcelona will want to cash in if a suitable offer arrives. He has scored nine goals for the club so far this season, but apart from that, his performance with Brazil at the World Cup has also elevated his value in the transfer market.

Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres

Three seasons since emerging as the heir apparent to Lionel Messi, Ansu Fati has not yet reached his full potential. When he is on the pitch, flashes of brilliance are still apparent. Unfortunately, he can barely string a handful of matches together due to injury setbacks. Barcelona invested in him when he was first sidelined for nearly a year since he hurt his knee in November 2020. It is now 2023 and he has yet to return to full fitness, suffering setback after setback.

The club can only wait for so long, and sources at El Nacional claim that the Catalan giants will likely find a way to offload him this summer. Alongside Fati, Ferran Torres is also on the chopping block after barely making an impact since joining the club. He has only scored two goals in 20 La Liga appearances this season, which is far below what Xavi is expecting.

With the club looking to offload some forwards, Xavi will also be keen to find someone to cover the void. Barcelona may choose to activate a buy option that they have on winger Yannick Carrasco, who is currently with Atletico Madrid. He is believed to be part of a two-way deal which involved Memphis Depay's move in the other direction.

Financial Crisis

Barcelona needed to sell off a number of assets in the summer of 2022 to be able to register their players. After crashing out early in the UEFA Champions League and subsequently the Europa League, they have missed out on nearly £18 million in expected revenue. With a referee scandal also exploding, the Catalans are in desperate need to get their affairs in order. Unfortunately, a lot of sacrifices will continue to be made both on and off the pitch.