The 2021/22 season will be crucial for Ronald Koeman in his second year at the helm of Barcelona. The Spanish giants head into this campaign after a sour 2020/21 in which they've only got their hands in the Copa del Rey. With Lionel Messi's new contract as the main priority, the Catalans also need to take care of their exorbitant wage bill and two players could see the way out.
Once Josep María Bartomeu's presidency came to an end it became quite clear how delicate the financial situation at Camp Nou was. Joan Laporta now has to face a challenging outlook as the club can't afford big signings and is also spending huge salaries for players that rarely see the pitch.
Therefore, following the arrivals of Eric García, Sergio Aguero, Memphis Depay, and Emerson, it's time for Barca to get rid of a number of players not only to relieve their expenses but also to make space in their squad. According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona will rush to offload these two players in the next few days:
Miralem Pjanic
In what has been a strange swap deal, Miralem Pjanic set foot at Camp Nou from Juventus while Arthur moved in the opposite direction last summer. The Bosnian, however, has never established himself in the starting eleven and his future seems to be no longer in Barcelona.
His first season with the Cules didn't work as expected as he sat out most of the games and saw how the likes of Ilaix Moriba and other youngsters were ahead of him for Koeman. Now he is reportedly discussing a potential return to Juventus, who could advance in the upcoming days to seal his arrival.
Samuel Umtiti
Five years after acquiring him from Olympique Lyon, Barcelona are trying to find suitors for Samuel Umtiti, according to the Spanish outlet. The Frenchman has barely been involved in the first team in 2020/21 and seems to have no room in Koeman's plans.
His exit seems more complicated, though, as he is yet to find an interested team that meets his requirements, unlike Pjanic who is not only linked with Juve but also willing to join them regardless of a pay cut.
