How Barcelona Could Line Up Under Ronald Koeman in 2020/21

Help facilitate the sale of several of the biggest names in world football, free up hundreds of millions from the wage bill, freshen up the squad with whatever money can be salvaged, get back the ol' Barça DNA, keep Lionel Messi happy for God's sake and, y'know, win every trophy available to you at all times.

That's the rather daunting job description facing Ronald Koeman and new technical secretary Ramon Planes as Barcelona try to enter the new normal.

It's not going to be easy, particularly for Koeman - who underwent heart surgery earlier this year - and will be the big moon-faced target for the public ire the minute it doesn't go to plan.

And even if it does, he might well get ousted by the new president when the elections happen next spring, regardless.

All fun and games.

Anyway, with everyone up for sale, here's how Koeman's Barça could line up next season after the summer purge...

1. Goalkeepers & Defenders

Marc-Andre ter Stegen (GK) - The German will miss the first few months of the new campaign as he recovers from surgery (bad news that kind of got buried amongst everything else) but he is one of president Josep Bartomeu's eight 'untouchables' and for good reason.

Nelson Semedo (RB) - Semedo was also (more surprisingly) named amongst Bartomeu's list of player who will stay. Tortured by Alphonso Davies, he has, in fairness, been ok domestically with reports even claiming that he will sign a renewal until 2025.

Jose Gaya (LB) - If you think Barcelona are in a state, Valencia are consistently on another level. The entire Los Che squad is up for sale this summer bar 25-year-old Gaya, but really if Barça push for this, it could happen.

Clement Lenglet (CB) - Another of the unsellables, Lenglet se queda for now.

Jules Kounde (CB) - A rather wild stab in the dark but Barça need freshening up at the back and Sevilla's Kounde - who has been linked with Real Madrid - first the bill as a young, right-sided defender who has proven his quality in La Liga and Europe this season. It would be a statement transfer.


Alternatives and issues: While a total revamp of a defence which conceded eight in the Champions League quarters is appealing, the truth is that Gerard Pique - who essentially offered his own resignation after the final whistle in Lisbon - has (generally) been very good in 2019/20 and may be worth keeping around for the transition. There's also the small matter of finding a club in the Covid-affected market to take on his wages. The same can be said of Jordi Alba.

As cheap, in-house alternatives, Ronald Araujo and Juan Miranda could be given more first-team exposure, while 19-year-old Eric Garcia looks set to come in from Manchester City. Malang Sarr - now a free agent after leaving Nice - is also a target.

2. Midfielders

Frenkie de Jong (CM) - Another on the 'not going anywhere' pile, de Jong endured a tricky first season but the hope is that Koeman - who has managed him at international level - can get the best out of his talents.

Miralem Pjanic (CM) - Signed as part of the zero-sum swap deal that saw Arthur go to Juventus, 30-year-old Pjanic is not the player that Barça need but he's the one they'll have to make do with.

Riqui Puig (CM) - The 21-year-old played 11 times in 2019/20 - all in La Liga - and has drawn (premature) comparisons with Andres Iniesta for his style. Though not actually named on the 'no go' list, Puig will likely be leaned on as a bastion of home-grown hope.

Alternatives and issues: Donny van de Beek has been linked as a possible signing but it would take a sizeable outlay to take him from Ajax and that depends on just who Barça can shift. 2019 tormenter Gini Wijnaldum is another player that Koeman knows well and only has a year on his contract.

18-year-old PSV wonderkid Mohamed Ihattaren, who was given his first Netherlands call up by Koeman, could also be the sort of player to be looked at.

How, where and if thirty-somethings Sergio Busquets, Arturo Vidal and Ivan Rakitic go is the crux of sorting out the midfield...then there's Philippe Coutinho to deal with.

3. Attackers

Lionel Messi (RW) - For all the rumour and posturing, Messi actually leaving this summer seems an impossibility. He is stuck in this marriage for better or worse... at least until 2021.

Ousmane Dembele (LW) - Another on the not for sale list, the reality is that there is no way Barça could recoup anywhere close to the €110m plus add-ons they paid in 2017. If he gets fit (and it's a big if) he could be given new life at Barcelona under Koeman purely by necessity.

Antoine Griezmann (CF) - Was it all worth it for Barcelona or Griezmann in the end? The €120m transfer that everyone seemed set on out of spite has not been a success. Still, despite turning 30 next year, the World Cup winner was part of Bartomeu's hopeful eight and looks set to stay. How he is used alongside Messi is one of Koeman's first big conundrums.

Alternatives and issues: Waiting in the wings Barcelona have Ansu Fati and Pedri, two of the most exciting young talents in Spanish football - but they are very, very young.

Francisco Trincao will also join up with the first-team following his €30m move from Braga. However, there is little to suggest he will be an immediate starter.

Luis Suarez and Martin Braithwaite are both on the market but Barça face the same old issues in shifting expensive stars that buyers know are unwanted.

Inter's Lautaro Martinez remains the great hope of the board but may have to wait another year for financial reasons. Long-term target Rodrigo (Valencia) may be more realistic, if not really very exciting.