Three Barcelona players who could benefit from Memphis and Aubameyang’s exit

Barcelona have a week before the 2022 summer transfer window slams shut. They have plugged most of the holes in the team, bringing in five very talented players in Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen, and Jules Kounde.

The job is not done, though, as Kobe Bryant would say. Xavi has excluded Sergino Dest from the matchday squad in the first two games of the La Liga season, which has sent alarm bells ringing in the fanbase.

Evidently, he wants the club to acquire the services of a new right-back, along with continuing their search of a left-back. Juan Foyth and Hector Bellerin have come up as their choices for the right side, while Marcos Alonso and Javi Galan are options for the left.

Either way, Barcelona must first sell players before signing anyone else. While they have the money to buy said players, La Liga’s financial fair play rules make it tough for them to register them.

Their task of offloading deadwood in the team is made easier, too, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Memphis Depay linked with an exit.

Auba is closing in on a transfer to Chelsea, with the fee said to be in the region of €15-18 million, excluding variables. The fee could rise up to €22 million if all clauses are met, but more importantly, it would take off €9 million in annual wages off the book.

As for Memphis, he will leave on a free transfer, likely to Juventus, but his salary of €4.5 million is significant enough to help Barcelona.

Selling two centre-forwards does not seem like a great idea at first, but it does benefit the club on several fronts. Apart from that, it also benefits these three players in particular:

1. Jules Kounde

Goes without saying, Aubameyang and Memphis’ exit would first and foremost help Barcelona register Kounde. The Frenchman signed from Sevilla for €50 million, but has been left out of the opening two games due to registration problems.

Barça promised him that he would be penned into the books in time for the Real Sociedad game. The player was left frustrated when the club did not deliver on their word.

Further, he has a clause in his contract that allows him to walk for free if he is not registered by 31st August. Not only would that create a bizarre spectacle, but it would take away from the strength of Barcelona’s defence.

2. Ez Abde

20-year-old winger Abde impressed the Camp Nou faithful last season, coming through Barcelona B. He slotted in on either wing, delivering a dribbling show. His footwork, pace, and agility left the fans asking for more.

However, with the arrival of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ferran Torres, his game-time disappeared.

Barcelona’s coaching staff is still very impressed with the winger, though, which is possibly why the club is yet to sanction a loan exit for him. There are several teams interested in his signature, but that could become a farfetched dream for them if Aubameyang and Memphis leave the club in the same window.

With five forwards left, it immediately gives Abde the chance to earn some minutes with the senior team. As a pure winger, he is a much different profile than everyone at the club, and adds stylistic depth for Xavi.

3. Franck Kessie

Oddly enough, one player that could get called upon more often is Kessie. He has played a combined total of 34 minutes in the first two games this season, serving as the second fiddle to Gavi and Frenkie de Jong.

Kessie adds offensive depth to Barcelona’s midfield as a box-to-box midfielder. He makes well-timed third-man runs into the box, and is a threat when given time.

He boasts of a very strong, weak foot, alongside the technique to strike the ball from outside the box, and the leap to win headers in the box. The departure of two strikers could force Xavi to use Kessie as an additional attacking unit during games.