About nine months ago, it did not seem like Barcelona will qualify for the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League, let alone fight for the title. The gap between them and arch-rivals Real Madrid was considerably large, meaning that they could not hope for much success in La Liga as well.

To make their situation even worse, their financial hardships were extensively documented by the media, not only in Spain but all over the world. However, one would not say Barcelona is going through a tough time financially after checking their business in the ongoing summer transfer window.

The Catalans have signed three mega-money players already in Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Jules Kounde. Their manager Xavi, however, does not want to stop here and is looking to further strengthen his team.

Barcelona remains in talks with a few big names, but having already spent over €150 million, it is perhaps now time for them to start selling a few players who are rarely used, in order to raise funds for those signings.

Check out five players Barcelona must sell this summer in the transfer window:

#1 Frenkie de Jong

Unlike the four other players who will follow him on our list, Frenkie de Jong is not on this list for his poor performances. The Dutch midfielder has been doing a fairly decent job, but Barcelona still is trying to sell him, mainly to facilitate other lucrative transfers.

Reportedly, the Catalans are very interested in Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva, but signing him will burn a hole in Barcelona’s pockets. To neutralize that, they will need to sell one of their big stars, and with Manchester United likely to pay big bucks for de Jong, it could be the best solution for Xavi’s team.

#2 Martin Braithwaite

Martin Braithwaite made only five appearances last season

Martin Braithwaite arrived at Barcelona in weird circumstances when the club was in the doldrums. The club is not in the doldrums anymore, and quite understandably, Xavi wants to sell the Danish forward.

Braithwaite played 53 matches in his first couple of seasons, but under Xavi’s reign, his minutes have taken a massive hit. Braithwaite made only five appearances last season, and with Robert Lewandowski’s arrival, it could go down even further. Hence, leaving Barcelona could be beneficial for the player as well.

#3 Memphis Depay

Memphis Depay’s case is pretty similar to that of Braithwaite. The Dutch forward was signed by Barcelona’s former Dutch manager, Ronald Koeman. During the Koeman era, Depay happened to be Barcelona’s frontman, but things changed after Xavi’s arrival.

The Spanish tactician signed new attackers in the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ferran Torres, which meant Depay was predominantly playing in the role of a super sub. However, given his calibre, the forward can rightfully make a case for a place in the playing XI of many big teams, which is why any plausible transfer makes sense.

#4 Samuel Umtiti

Samuel Umtiti’s proposed move to Stade Rennes has fallen through

Samuel Umtiti’s story is a rather puzzling one. The French centre-back was signed by Olympique Lyon back in 2016, and for the first couple of seasons, he was a rock at the back. To top it all off, Umtiti also played a crucial role in France’s 2018 FIFA World Cup triumph.

However, for one reason or another, everything has gone downhill for him ever since that competition. Umtiti’s minutes kept on getting diminished, and it all came crashing down last season when he made only a single appearance. Barcelona is actively trying to sell him and a move to Stade Rennes almost materialized, except that it fell through at the last minute.

#5 Riqui Puig

Unlike Braithwaite or Umtiti, Riqui Puig is not at the dusk of his playing career. In fact, he is still only 22 years of age, but many could find it surprising, given that he rose through the ranks to make a name for himself in the 2019/20 season.

Back when Quique Setien was the manager, Puig was among the players who had the manager’s belief, but things turned for worse when Koeman arrived. Following the Dutch manager’s departure, many expected Xavi to have faith in the youngster, but even that has not happened, and Puig has remained a bit-part player. With the likes of Pedri, Gavi and Nico Gonzalez having already gone ahead of him in the pecking order, it could be time for Puig to look out for other opportunities.