Barcelona are moving aggressively in the transfer market.
On Friday they sealed the €80million (£69m; $93m) signing of Anthony Gordon after accelerating their interest in Julian Alvarez, while talks over a deal for Bernardo Silva continue. The window has not even officially opened.
After several summers in which their financial restrictions dictated almost every move, Barcelona suddenly find themselves operating with a new level of confidence — but exits remain necessary.
Hansi Flick’s squad needs trimming, and Barca also know that income through sales will be required to meet La Liga’s spending rules.
So, which players could leave? The Athletic explains.
Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde
Let’s start with the back line.
Neither player is being pushed towards an exit, but sources familiar with Barca’s planning — speaking anonymously as they did not have permission to comment publicly, as with all sources consulted for this article — acknowledge the club would consider serious offers for Araujo and Kounde.
Araujo’s situation is perhaps the most complex.
In December, the 27-year-old was given a month’s leave of absence due to anxiety and depression. His return was gradual, but it was not Araujo’s best season on the pitch and he has lost the prominence he once enjoyed under Xavi.
Araujo has another five years to run on his contract following the renewal he signed in January 2025, a deal that demonstrated the high level of confidence sporting director Deco has in him. Sources close to the player say he does not want to leave and feels that his best days at Barca are yet to come.
Barcelona sporting director Deco (centre), pictured with football co-ordinator Bojan Krkic (left) and club advisor Enric Masip (right) in May 2025 (Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Barcelona would like to strengthen at centre-back, but that would only happen if one of these two players left. Internally, Kounde is seen as one of the most appealing assets in their defence given his skill set and versatility.
He signed a new five-year deal at the club in 2025, but his performances were inconsistent this season. Kounde, also 27, looked out of sorts and well below his level from the 2024-25 campaign, his best at Barca.
Kounde is expected to start for France in the World Cup, providing a platform to increase interest from abroad.
Alejandro Balde
His development has stalled this season and Joao Cancelo — who arrived on loan from Al Hilal during the winter transfer window, with Barca hopeful of bringing him back for next term — took his place.
Balde, 22, did not make Spain’s World Cup squad following a campaign in which he made 42 appearances for Barca despite suffering two hamstring injuries, in September and March.
Barca had never considered selling their academy graduate, but that situation has now changed. Balde is under contract until 2028 and there are no talks over an extension.
This summer could be the ideal time to sell. Barca are open to offers, with multiple sources saying that Balde’s agent Jorge Mendes is aware of that — but again, there is little sign of him wanting to leave his native city or the club he first joined aged seven in 2011.
Marc Casado
The 22-year-old midfielder is the most likely to leave Barcelona this summer.
He played a key role in Flick’s debut 2024-25 season and was a first-team regular when Frenkie de Jong and Marc Bernal were injured, but made the starting XI on just 15 occasions this term.
Marc Casado joined Barca’s academy 10 years ago (Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Flick warned Casado at the start of the season that he would be playing a backup role, and he ended up being fourth choice in holding midfield — after De Jong, Bernal and Eric Garcia — and behind Pedri, Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez and Gavi for a more attacking spot.
Casado’s priority is to stay at Barca, but he might be open to listening to offers if there is no clear pathway into the first team, or the club tries to move him on.
Ferran Torres
His situation is one to watch.
This season presented an opportunity for Torres to really stake a claim for the starting striker’s spot. With Robert Lewandowski set to leave as his contract expires this summer, Flick decided to give the two forwards equal playing time, but this approach seemed to undermine both players’ confidence. Torres went 14 matches without scoring from February to April.
Torres scored 21 goals in 49 Barca appearances across all competitions this season (Josep Lago/AFP via Getty Images)
Barca had considered including Torres and Casado in a proposed swap deal for Alvarez at Atletico. Local reports suggested Torres rejected that option. Sources close to the player did not want to comment on the subject.
Torres’ contract expires in 2027 but no renewal offer has been made, leaving the 26-year-old Spain forward with an uncertain future. If an offer arrives, Barca would happily listen, but the player does not want to leave.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen
Ter Stegen was at the centre of a dramatic standoff with Barca last summer, with the German goalkeeper even temporarily stripped of the club captaincy.
Barca tried to offload him, but Ter Stegen — who is under contract until 2028 — did not entertain the idea and then had to undergo back surgery, sidelining him for three months.
In January, the goalkeeper joined Girona on loan, only to shortly afterwards suffer a hamstring injury that ruled him out for the rest of the season. He is in the final stages of his recovery but Ter Stegen has not spoken to the club about his future.
Joan Garcia has established himself as Barca’s No 1, so if Ter Stegen stayed, it would have to be in a secondary role.
Those close to Ter Stegen believe that any departure would likely involve Barca continuing to pay a big chunk of his salary, as hardly any other side would be willing to match his wages. Barca are not expected to be totally against this scenario, as it would at least save them part of their wage bill.
The 34-year-old is earning significant wages as part of a contract that includes deferrals he agreed to take in previous seasons.
Ansu Fati
The 23-year-old forward, whose stratospheric early career trajectory was badly hit by injuries, joined Monaco on loan last July, with an €11million option to buy. The French club are reportedly set to take that up. Barca would keep a 30 per cent sell-on clause.
Fati scored 12 goals for Monaco in 30 games this term (Romeo Boetzle/AFP via Getty Images)
Fati had been hoping that, with Barcelona on the lookout for a winger, he might be the one they chose, and he put himself forward — but Gordon’s arrival from Newcastle United shows they had other ideas.
Moving on Fati will benefit Barca’s salary-limit situation, given he had two more seasons left on a deal that, according to local reports, was worth around €17million.
Roony Bardghji
The 20-year-old has settled in well following his €2million move from Copenhagen last summer.
But having Lamine Yamal in your position isn’t easy. Whenever Bardghji came on as a substitute for Yamal, he performed well, but unless Yamal gets injured, the Spaniard will always start every game. Further disappointment for Bardghji came when missing out on Sweden’s World Cup squad.
He has asked to go out on loan next season — and Barcelona are happy with that plan.
Andreas Christensen
The 30-year-old Denmark centre-back’s contract at Barca expires at the end of this month — but the expectation around the club is that he will sign a new deal.
Flick values Christensen, even though he missed sections of this season through injury. After suffering a partial knee ligament tear in December, Barca promised they would offer him a contract extension so he had options in the summer.
Club sources said the offer is on significantly reduced terms to what Christensen was earning. The Denmark international is very happy with life at Barcelona, which could help his cause to stay.
Diego Kochen
Third-choice goalkeeper at Barca last season but yet to make his senior debut, the 20-year-old United States youth international is set to go out on loan. The club most likely to sign him is Lyngby, who have just been promoted to Denmark’s top flight.
Kochen joined Barca aged 13 in 2019 and the club see him as a future second-choice. Club sources say several Spanish second-tier sides were also keen to sign him, but Lyngby presented the best choice of the clubs promising playing time.
His contract runs until 2028, having last been renewed in March 2024.
