6 Deals Barcelona Could Do to Make Matters Even Worse

What. A. Mess
What. A. Mess / Pool/Getty Images
facebooktwitterreddit

"Al mal tiempo, buena cara."

For those of us without holiday homes on the Costa del Sol, 'At bad weather, happy face'.

This Spanish saying encourages you to take tough times on with a positive outlook. There is still some good left in this world, and it's worth fighting for, et cetera.

However, it's Barcelona in the limelight right now. Not any old club who face adversity with a renewed outlook moving forward, but instead one who continue to hammer the nails into their own coffin with baffling boardroom decisions and bewildering transfer dealings.

Can it get much worse right now? You're damn right it can. Finally, there does appear to be some internal admission that their current plight is their own doing and a full systematic, structural reshuffle is required. That, however, wouldn't be fun.

Instead, let's venture further down the rabbit hole, see how much gloomier it can be, how much more farcical Barça can get.


Sell Marc-André ter Stegen & Promote Neto

'You conceded EIGHT goals! Totally your fault'.
'You conceded EIGHT goals! Totally your fault'. / Denis Doyle/Getty Images

It's the kind of knee-jerk idiocy that we've grown accustomed to at Camp Nou. Marc-André ter Stegen conceded eight goals and had one bad game in his career, but CURSE HIM, he's shamed the club with his display. For that, he must go.

Get him out, get some money in, because lord knows they bloody need it.

Don't buy anyone else, though. That'd be folly. Promote Neto from the bench. Five appearances since joining is more than enough to fit into the first team at the moment. And, if it all fails miserably, it'll be him on the firing line, not those behind the scenes. Win-Win.


Swap Arthur for Miralem Pjanić & Pocket £8m

Exactly what Barcelona need right now
Exactly what Barcelona need right now / Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Ah, oh wait.

They really are this daft.


Send Riqui Puig on Loan to Sevilla With an Option to Buy

A superb talent, that will probably be wasted
A superb talent, that will probably be wasted / Pool/Getty Images

In an ageing squad full of overpaid, slow and disinterested players, the sensible option would be to shift the deadwood and start afresh.

Orrr, Barça could pie off one of the most exciting youngsters in Europe to a rival, include an option (maybe even obligation) to buy, so they can lessen the strain their wage bill and garner a bit of cash 12 or 24 months down the line. That makes perfect sense.

Don't put it past them. Really, don't.


Hand Arturo Vidal a 1-Year Extension

With a plethora of central midfielders that are not up to scratch, La Blaugrana will know they must keep some of them, right? Of the ones there, it's Arturo Vidal who's on the 'least' amount of money. By that logic, he can stay. For another year.

I mean, c'mon, he showed so much passion after Robert Lewandowski scored when he hung his head over the advertising hoardings. It wasn't because he's old and shattered. Oh no! It was an outpouring of emotion to see this club he loves so much come up short.

Keep him a wee while longer. He'll definitely get better with age.


Re-Sign Kevin-Prince Boateng for a Season

Absolutely the right move to make.
Absolutely the right move to make. / Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Bring. Him. Back.

As the club will well know, their failings in the centre of the park are pinned on Frenkie de Jong. It's the talented, young midfielder's fault they can't get control of the ball, nothing to do with tortoise-like Sergio Busquets or a managerial cataract that can't see that the pair don't work together.

Definitely De Jong's fault.

So bench him, bring Kevin-Prince Boateng back on loan from a different Italian club this time and knock the Dutchman's confidence for six. Busquets is infallible.


Goodbye Lionel Messi, Hello 300 Youngsters

Lionel Messi Argentina GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

300 being the rough estimate of how many young players the club could afford if they sold Lionel Messi. Which, they never should do, ever. It would signal the end of Barcelona as we know it though, so let's descend.

Sell your most prized asset, who anyone in the world would have (if they had the £££), and bring in a shedload of youngsters who haven't the foggiest idea how dire the situation is and flop comprehensively.

He's not that young, but a signing in the ilk of Richarlison just seems barmy enough that Barcelona will grab the bait.


For more from Ross Kennerley, follow him on Twitter!