Barcelona plan massive squad clearout with only Messi, Ter Stegen and De Jong safe

Barcelona are reportedly set to embark on a massive selling spree in a bid to manage their finances. The LaLiga giants have the highest wage bill in world football and are planning to offload high-profile stars before the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic has accelerated Barcelona's financial crisis and all but three Blaugrana stars are safe from the axe. The Barcelona board are reluctant to see club captain Lionel Messi, Marc-Andre ter Stergen and new signing Frenkie De Jong, with summer arrival Antoine Griezmann also put on the summer sale list, according to reports. 

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Barcelona transfer clearout: LaLiga giants plan huge sale to balance budgets

According to The Sun, Barcelona are open to hearing offers for all their players except Lionel Messi, Marc-Andre ter Stergen and Frenkie De Jong. The club have struggled financially and the coronavirus lockdown has increased their financial burden resulting in Barcelona budgeting to offload a number of stars in the summer window. The Catalan giants already had a gaping hole in their budget before they secured the signings of De Jong and Antoine Griezmann in the summer for a reported fee of £172 million combined.

Despite the Barcelona wage cut, the Spanish champions are in a nightmarish position with clubs already knowing that a Barcelona transfer negotiation would work in their favour due to the Blaugrana's liabilities. With the club's board battling issues of its own, Barcelona reportedly need £106 million by the end of June to balance their books after their wage bill soared to £550m last summer, with only half of that figure brought in. 

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Barcelona transfer rumours: Nelson Semedo offered to Manchester City and Juventus, Pjanic-Arthur swap deal in the works

According to the latest Barcelona transfer rumours, the LaLiga club have already offered promising right-back Nelson Semedo to European rivals Manchester City and Juventus. The defending LaLiga Champions are holding out for a reported asking price of £40m, which is unlikely to be met by either of the two clubs. Barcelona are also in talks with Juventus over a potential swap deal for Miralem Pjanic, that could see Arthur Melo move to Turin.

Phillipe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembele and Samuel Umiti are Barca's prime targets to shift off their wage bill, but the trio's asking prices will have massively reduced due to their recent form and the coronavirus pandemic. The LaLiga giants are aiming to sign Lautaro Martinez from Inter Milan, and Barcelona's pursuit of Lionel Messi's Argentina teammate would depend on how they sell their deadwood. 

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