Barcelona are expected to have a busy summer transfer window. While they have most of their priorities sorted in terms of buying players, the Catalan club will have to sell several players, including midfielder Miralem Pjanic, who is currently on loan at Turkish club Besiktas. The player, however, is unlikely to continue with them because of his high financial demands and will likely be sold this summer.
Signing a marquee striker as well as defensive reinforcements will be the priority for Barca manager Xavi. The Catalans, however, will have to offload several players and get unwanted names off their books in order to improve their wage structure.
One player who could prove to be a headache for Joan Laporta’s board this season is Pjanic. Signed from Juventus for a swap deal involving Arthur and money in September 2020, he failed to impress at Barcelona under Ronald Koeman and was restricted to the bench. He was then sent on loan to Besiktas in the summer in order to find room to manoeuvre in the wage bill.
The 31-year looks set to return to Barcelona at the end of the loan deal following which Barcelona might have to look for avenues to sell him. A report in Barcelona-based daily Mundo Deportivo reported that although Besiktas are interested in retaining the former Juve ace beyond the current season, Pjanic’s wages as well as the transfer fee that will be attached in order to make the loan deal permanent will make the operation complicated for Besiktas.
The Turkish side are reportedly paying nearly 2.75 million euros to the Bosnian currently. They find that value excessive and pushing their finances and therefore, a permanent transfer, even though there have been contacts with Barcelona, seems unlikely.
Besiktas’ national rivals Galatasaray have also shown interest in Pjanic. However, Barcelona, who recently defeated them over two legs in the Europa League, deny the interest.
Reports claim that Xavi sees Pjanic as a quality midfielder but has no place him at the Camp Nou next season. Barcelona already have enough quality as well as diverse profiles in midfield with Pedri, Sergio Busquets, Frenkie De Jong, Gavi and Nico Gonzalez.
AC Milan’s Franck Kessie has reportedly agreed to a deal with Barcelona as a free agent, while the Catalan club are also expected to offload midfielders Riqui Puig and Sergi Roberto.
