Barcelona eye 'cut-price attacking trio Aubameyang, Carrasco and Abde'
Barcelona eye ‘cut-price attacking trio of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Yannick Carrasco and loanee Abde’ as the cash-strapped Catalans prepare for summer exits in order to finance Lionel Messi’s return to the Nou Camp
- Barcelona must make up a financial deficit of £178million to sign any players
- Youngster Abde has impressed the club while out on loan at Osasuna this term
- Messi has been offered £320m-a-year at Al-Hilal but what would his life be like?
Barcelona’s summer plans are thought to revolve heavily around a return to the Nou Camp for icon Lionel Messi, however they have also highlighted further options should they part company with a number of attacking players.
It was confirmed earlier in May that Messi would be leaving PSG at the end of his current contract, with Barca, Inter Miami and Al-Hilal all linked with a move for the 35-year-old.
But for the Blaugrana to have any chance of landing their former star they must sell players to make up a financial deficit to the tune of £178million before bringing in any new faces in summer.
As such, the club are thought to have outlined further cut-price options to strengthen their ranks given that a number of players may have to depart in order to raise the necessary funds, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.
Among that list is thought to be the attacking triumvirate of Atletico Madrid’s Yannick Carrasco, former Barca star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and the club’s young loanee Abde Ezzalzouli, plying his trade at Copa del Rey finalists Osasuna.
Lionel Messi will leave PSG at the end of the season and former club Barcelona have been linked with a return
Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo reports that the club are targeting a cut-price attacking trio
Yannick Carrasco is reportedly available to the club for £13.3million in the coming window
And those potentially leaving the club to free up some much needed space in the budget are believed to include the likes of Raphinha, Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres in attack, as per the Spanish outlet.
Belgium international Carrasco is believed to be available to the Catalan giants for around £13.3m (€15m) in the summer, with his contract at the Civitas Metropolitano up at the end of next season.
The deal to send Memphis Depay to Atleti in January reportedly included an agreement that Barca would be able to land their man for the outlined fee.
His agent – Pini Zahavi – is a good friend of Barca chief Joan Laporta’s, and the player is thought to have an admirer in Xavi, and would provide greater support as a left-footed right winger as a strong passer and dribbler on the ball.
Raphinha is currently operating in that role, and Ousmane Dembele has starred at times this term, but the Brazilian is one such player rumoured to be departing the club.
Aubameyang only departed last summer for Chelsea, but has since had a torrid time struggling for minutes and goals, and has been heavily linked with an exit just a year into his stay.
The Gabonese striker still has two years left on a three-year deal signed at the start of the season at Stamford Bridge, but both Barca and the player are eyeing a free transfer.
Though his output has been below par at the Blues, he did enjoy some success in his brief stint at the Nou Camp at the end of last season, having arrived from Arsenal.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is hoping to secure a free transfer away from Chelsea this summer
Abde Ezzalzouli is already on the books at Barcelona and has starred on loan at Osasuna
Mundo Deprortivo claims that Raphinha and Spanish duo Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres could all make way
In 24 games across all competitions, Aubameyang notched 13 goals and an assist, including a hat-trick against Valencia in his third game at the club.
The third prong of the budget trident could be made up by Abde, who has starred while on loan at Osasuna this season.
Already on their books, his return would of course come as a bonus given he will cost the Blaugrana nothing, but now brings plenty of top-flight experience after his year on the road, grabbing five goals and two assists in 29 games.
The Moroccan World Cup hero is highly regarded at the club, and only a seismic offer is believed to be capable of convincing Barca to sell.
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