Flick tells Barcelona to re-sign flop

Stuart Telford

2 Jun 2024 14:00 BST
3 min read

Hansi Flick has only been Barcelona head coach for a matter of days, but he is already throwing his weight around in the transfer market according to reports in Spain.

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Flick succeeded Xavi as Barca head coach last Wednesday with the latter having grown frustrated at the club's expectations set against their crippling debt.

That now reportedly stands at €552 million having been €1.3 billion at its height - a number moving in the right direction but one that nonetheless makes signings difficult.

READ MORE: Latest Barcelona transfer rumours

Barca did manage to agree the €40m acquisition of Vitor Roque from Athletico Paranaense in January, but most of their recent signings have been free transfers like Ilkay Gundogan, or loans such as Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix.

And it is the latter of those - Felix - whom Flick would like to sign again for next season, rather against the grain.

© IMAGO - Felix scored some big goals for Barcelona last season.

Flick believes in Felix

"Flick believes [Felix] is a player who can contribute to the team," report Marca. "This has been conveyed to the club in their early meetings. The German would welcome an extension.

"He considers Felix a quality player and that his record last season wasn't as poor as some want to make out. Flick believes that managed well, he can achieve more."

Felix was dropped by Xavi last season with Raphinha and Ferran Torres for competition on the left flank, while the emergence of Lamine Yamal made him undroppable on the right.

Felix scored big goals at home and abroad last season - against parent club Atletico Madrid in La Liga and Porto in the Champions League - and Barca are expected to bow to Flick's demands.

How they can make it work is another matter entirely, though. Felix is under contract at Atleti until 2029, they are reticent to loan him to a rival again, and there is no way Barca can afford the €58.3m he is valued at by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm.