Revealed: Messi, Aubameyang and Barcelona’s transfer priorities

Suraj Radia

• Updated: 2 May 2023 15:45 BST
• 2 min read

Barcelona have already begun to make transfer plans for the summer despite being told they will not be able to register any players with La Liga until they lower their wage bill and make some sales.

The Catalan outfit activated a number of ‘economic levers’ last summer which allowed them to splash out more than €200 million on players in spite of pressure from La Liga to curb their spending.

Barca are anticipating another busy summer which could include the sensational return of Lionel Messi, however La Liga chairman Javier Tebas has insisted the club need to raise €200m in sales before being allowed to register any new arrivals.

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Xavi’s side are on course to win La Liga this season however they are looking to build on a poor European campaign which saw them crash out of the Champions League at the group stage before being knocked out of the Europa League by Manchester United.

FootballTransfers reporter Jacque Talbot has stated that Barcelona’s top priority this summer is bringing back Messi when his contract expires with Paris Saint-Germain and they will then look to move for Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who is also set to become a free agent.

Villarreal defender Juan Foyth is next on Barcelona’s shopping list before a move to bring back Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is unwanted by Chelsea after joining them from Barca last year.

Will Barcelona be able to sign their top targets?

Barcelona often outline their plans in the media prior to discovering whether the moves are feasible in order to determine the interest of players and to put pressure on clubs to allow a transfer.

Messi is thought to be open to a return to Barca as an extension with PSG appears increasingly unlikely, while Gundogan is also prepared for a new challenge following seven seasons with City.

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Barca also want to sign a right-back and Foyth is thought to be their top target but Villarreal are unwilling to negotiate his €60m release clause – a similar stance to the one they took last summer when the Catalans tried to make a move.

Aubameyang is expected to be allowed to leave Chelsea this summer after a disastrous season while Athletic Bilbao defender Inigo Martinez is understood to have agreed to join Barca upon the expiry of his contract this summer, solving the club’s issue at left-centre back.