Every summer for the past few years it’s felt like Barcelona have had a grand plan.
They’ll sell a big chunk of their fringe players for inflated fees and that will help sooth financial worries, enable new signings and help provide wriggle room to give key players the pay rises they’re looking for.
This summer is no different.
Catalan newspaper Sport provide a bunch of players who Barcelona can make money from in this window, and one of those is Gerard Deulofeu. On loan at Watford for the second half of the season, it’s no secret Javi Gracia would like to keep the Spaniard at the club.
Sport say there’s interest in Deuolofeu and Barcelona are looking for the ‘maximum possible economic’ return on the player. They want to make a profit on the €12m paid to Everton last summer, and there’s clearly some confidence they can do this.
Towards the end of April, Mundo Deportivo reported Watford were all set for negotiations to sign Deulofeu permanently. There’s no reason to wait now, and talks look like they’re going to be pretty tough.
What should help the Premier League club is Deulofeu making it clear he doesn’t see a future for himself at Barcelona.
