Barça has already set its sports planning in motion and Deco has managed to finalize the first signing with Joan García. The club will pay the €25 million ($25 million) release clause for Espanyol's goalkeeper next week. The operation is considered an excellent market opportunity, both because of age and potential, and Joan will arrive to compete for the starting spot.
With this signing practically closed, Deco's focus now shifts to the other major priority of the summer, which is departures. Barça needs to lighten the squad and reduce the wage bill if they want to make more signings.
The signing of the left winger depends on departures
In this regard, one of the desired moves by Deco and Flick is the signing of a world-class left winger. The sports management believes that this profile could be key to raising the team's offensive level, especially on the side opposite Lamine Yamal. However, this operation is completely dependent on the departures that can be finalized in the coming weeks.
The arrival of a player like Luis Díaz or Marcus Rashford requires a high investment, and the club can't afford it without first offloading several footballers. Deco knows this, which is why he's accelerated contacts to facilitate operations that generate income or relieve the wage bill.
Six players outside Flick's plan
To achieve this, Deco already has on the table the blacklist that Flick has given him with the players who aren't in his plans. According to El Nacional, six footballers have been marked to leave this summer. The most notable is Ansu Fati, whose loan to Monaco is reportedly very advanced.
Ansu Fati is looking to relaunch his career with more minutes in a less demanding environment. Barça views the operation favorably, which could include a purchase option. His departure would free up an important roster spot and would facilitate the arrival of the desired left winger.
Five more names at the exit door
Alongside Ansu Fati, the other five players are: Oriol Romeu, who will return from his loan at Girona; Iñaki Peña, Pau Víctor, Clément Lenglet, and Pablo Torre.
Deco is working intensively to place all of them, whether through sales, loans, or negotiated contract terminations. Each departure will be key to unlocking the incoming transfer market. Only if these moves are completed will Barça be able to aim to strengthen their squad with new top-level signings.