Barcelona's planning remains marked by the need to finalize departures in this summer transfer window. Joan Laporta and Deco are determined to make firm decisions to adjust the blaugrana squad and give Hansi Flick room to build a competitive team. However, not all departures are progressing at the desired pace, and some cases have become real headaches for the board.
With several players still needing to solve their futures, the blaugrana entity doesn't want delays that could complicate preparations for the next season. The directive is clear: footballers who aren't in the German coach's plans must look for a new destination. In some cases, the club is even considering drastic measures to unlock entrenched situations.
The first player ruled out by Flick
Among the names singled out, Oriol Romeu stands out, as he won't have a place in the new project. Flick has been blunt with the sporting management: he doesn't count on the Catalan midfielder and prefers to give other options more prominence. In fact, the German coach won't hesitate to give minutes to Frenkie De Jong, Christensen, or young players like Marc Casadó before Oriol Romeu.
The pivot, who returned to Barça a year ago to strengthen the midfield, didn't manage to establish himself in Xavi Hernández's rotation and ended up loaned to Girona. His performance at Montilivi hasn't convinced either. Despite having a contract until 2026, the club has informed him that he must look for a definitive exit.
Drastic decisions underway
The situation is becoming more complicated because, so far, no formal offers have arrived for the player.The risk of him remaining at the club without minutes is forcing Barça to consider offering him a letter of freedom so he can leave for free. This would help reduce the wage bill and free up a spot in the squad.
Laporta and Deco trust they'll close this matter in the coming weeks to prevent Romeu from joining preseason with Flick. The coach has already made it clear that he doesn't want to see him in training. With several moves still pending in the market, the club is prioritizing resolving these types of cases before continuing to strengthen other key positions.