Barcelona have told their leading goalscorer from last season, Memphis Depay, he should seek a new club. It is becoming an annual event.
This time a year ago, Lionel Messi, whose 38 goals for a troubled Barca in 2020/21 seemed to have persuaded Messi to extend his long relationship with the club after a difficult patch, was waved off. He was shocked when the club brusquely told him they could no longer afford him , even at half his previous salary.
Messi, much missed and still loved by Barca fans, is now a Paris Saint-Germain player. Where Depay, liked and respected for his enthusiasm and the goals he contributed in a challenging post-Messi season, finds his next niche remains to be seen.
But there will be a market for the Dutchman. Nor will the rejection of Barcelona be held against Depay. Turnover is so high and haphazard at Camp Nou that any player who finds himself superseded there is not so much seen as a failure as simply unfortunate to have been trapped in an endlessly revolving door.
To recap: In the last 12 months, Barcelona have said farewell to the greatest forward in their history, Messi. They have sold their costliest ever player, Philippe Coutinho , for what amounted to a loss of 85 per cent on his original purchase price of €140m-plus.
They have loaned back to Atletico Madrid the World Cup-winner Antoine Griezmann , who they bought for €120 million from the same club. They have let expire the contract of Ousmane Dembele, who cost them €120m five years ago, and then re-signed the French attacker , who has started barely a third of Liga matches in his time at Barca, a matter of weeks later.
In the same period, they have acquired Ferran Torres from Manchester City, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Arsenal , Raphinha from Leeds United and said hello followed by a sad goodbye to Sergio Aguero .
Raphinha has moved to Barcelona from English side Leeds United in a deal that could eventually be worth €65m. AFP
You could forgive Depay if he whispered ‘Good luck - you may need it,’ when he welcomed yet another striker, Robert Lewandowski, into the squad on Monday , following the much-hyped arrival of the Pole from Bayern Munich, where, like Aubameyang at Arsenal, and Aguero at City, he was the figurehead goalscorer season after season.
The capture of Lewandowski stands out from several of these comings and goings because Bayern had wanted to keep their prolific marksman and serial champion.
Aguero, whose brief Barcelona career was cut short by a heart issue that forced him retire, and Aubameyang had reached the end of their time at their Premier League clubs – and because Barcelona have paid a sizeable fee.
The initial €45m for a striker with a year left on his Bayern contract looks like a reasonable deal for the buyers, but the context of Lewandowski’s age – he will be 34 next month and has a three-year deal with Barca – poses some questions; the state of Barca’s finances poses many more.
Lewandowski and Raphinha alone have cost over €100m this summer, a close-season that began with warnings from La Liga that Barcelona’s debts – reported as close to €1 billion earlier this year – and overheads meant that they could not register new players until they had addressed a shortfall of over €140m in meeting the Spanish league’s obligatory financial fair-play regulations.
Barcelona 2021/22 season ratings BARCELONA RATINGS: GOALKEEPER: Marc-Andre ter Stegen 7 - The German, 30, played in 35 of Barça’s 38 league games and, after doing the same for the last couple of terms, is the undisputed number one at the club he’s been at since 2014. A rare mainstay in a much-changed side, but it was still a shock to see him floundering as his compatriots from Eintracht Frankfurt knocked Barça out of the Europa League at Camp Nou. EPA
DEFENDERS: Sergino Dest 5 - The American, 21, started 17 games last season – down on last term. Ten of those starts were in Barça’s first 12 fraught league games. Injuries, the arrival of Xavi and the return of Dani Alves limited his performances in the second half of the season. He’s talented and young enough to improve a lot – especially his crossing and defending. He’ll need to if he’s to make the right-back position his own. Getty Images
Gerard Pique 7 - He’s 35 and remains as important to Barcelona as he ever was, in part because he’s a mainstay in a central defence which has seen a lot of changes around him. He’s the one who drives the team, who pushes most for equalisers, who the fans listen to for an alternative view to the one his employers put out. He’s upped that since Messi left. Reuters
Ronald Araujo 8 - Superb season for the Uruguayan, 23, who has become a cult hero among fans who sing his name every game. He’s a hard, strong central defender who started 25 league games. Excellent in the air, at tackling and a threat when he goes forward, there was delight when he recently signed a contract until 2026. Scored in big games against Sevilla and Atletico Madrid last season too. Getty Images
Oscar Mingueza 5 - Started only nine league games and played out of his preferred central defence position on the right. He’s 23, he doesn’t look like he’s in the idealised XI of many fans and Kostic’s shot going through his legs as Eintracht took Barça apart in Camp Nou was not a pretty sight, but Barça need a squad and he’s a useful part of it. AP Photo
Dani Alves 6 - Brought back at the age of 38, he was a Xavi ally on the pitch and in the dressing room. He’s not the one-man right wing he was, but he performed adequately in his 13 league starts in 2022 and contributed with three assists. That the Brazilian can still play at this level at 39 is to his credit. Getty Images
Jordi Alba 5 - Part of the old guard, he often has more touches per game than any other player on the pitch. The link up with his perfect foil Messi has now gone, but he still made 10 assists for league goals and he’s still first choice left-back. AFP
Eric Garcia 6 - Still finding his feet and at 21, that’s natural. The move from Manchester City hasn’t fully convinced, he can look shaky and composed in the same game and he’s not been short of critics, but Spain boss Luis Enrique said of him this week: “Eric is a marvellous player, the criticism is unjust, as long as I’m coach and he keeps playing like this he’ll stay with the national team.” Getty Images
Clement Lenglet 4 - The French central defender started only seven league games and came on in 14 more. Too many mistakes, too many bookings, but he started Barça’s final games of the season so that maybe an indication of Xavi’s thinking. Better in Europe, though. He’d be sold if a decent offer came in for the player who cost €35 million from Sevilla in 2018. AFP
Samuel Umtiti NA - One start and he’s the player Barça have most wanted to get off their books. At his best, he established himself as a starter alongside Pique in 2016/17. He was a World Cup winner with France but his knee injury – and the way he chose not to have an operation, frustrated fans. Injury-plagued (he missed three months of this season with a fractured toe) and likely to be moved on if Barça can find a taker. EPA
MIDFIELDERS: Frenkie de Jong 7 - Started 30 league matches, plus another 12 in Europe where he performed better. The Dutchman, 25, has yet to fulfil his huge €75 million transfer fee - though he’s played in troubled times. His manager likes him and he’s better with Busquets behind him, yet that’s also the role he covets most – he wants to be the first player to get the ball from the defenders. A super passer not afraid to dribble past an opponent, his through balls can split defences. Linked with a move away. Getty Images
Pedri 6 - After playing non-stop for club and country in 20-21, the Canarian, still only 19, was limited to only 10 league starts in 21-22. Twice he had a hamstring injury, missing the first half of the season and the last eight league games. He shoots, he passes well, he defends, he has the potential to be one of the best players in the world. Xavi hopes he will be a key man again next season. Reuters
Gavi 9 - Seventeen and superb, the breakthrough star of the season started 28 league games and came on in six more. The midfielder gets stuck in and isn’t averse to a yellow card, but given he has also become an important part of Luis Enrique’s Spain side, he was as overused in 21-22 as Pedri was the previous season. Looks like he has the talent to play at the top level and his through balls are shaping up to be as effective as Iniesta’s, but needs more discipline. Getty Images
Sergio Busquets 7 - Played 3,202 league minutes last season, far more than any other Barça player. The defensive midfielder, 33, brings balance, experience and muscle to the side (none could match his 12 yellow cards). He’s still performing, still protecting a defence which needs protecting, still the first name on the team sheet. Getty Images
Nico 6 - Son of former Deportivo La Coruna great Fran, Nico, 20, doesn’t have the same technical level as fellow young Spanish midfielders Pedri and Gavi. Failed to shine when he started seven consecutive league games in the autumn – Barça won only two of them – but the central midfielder is valued at Camp Nou. A big lad who should be better in the air, he’s still improving. Getty Images
Riqui Puig 5 - Adored by Barça’s online fans who can’t understand why the La Masia graduate doesn’t get more opportunities; ignored by the coaches who are paid to manage FC Barcelona. The skilful, diminutive, central midfielder, 22, started only two league games. Needs to be playing more football, even if away from Camp Nou. AP Photo
FORWARDS: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 8 - A big success after signing from Arsenal in February, the 32-year-old has long wanted to play for Barcelona and his family have long lived near the city. That’s a model Barça have to persist with since they don’t have the finances they once did. Scored a stunning hat-trick in a 4-1 away win at Valencia, then scored twice in a 4-0 away win at Real Madrid – by a distance Barça’s best result and performance of the season. Getty Images
Luuk de Jong 9 - Derided as not being Barça class, as being a cut-price option for a desperate club cutting costs, he had more doubters than any of his teammates after arriving from Sevilla at the start of the season. And how he proved them wrong. The Dutchman was always a backup striker and started only six games, coming on in 15 more. Yet he scored six goals in his 643 league minutes. He’s versatile, better than any Barça player in the air, he lays the ball off well and draws in defenders. Super sub. AP Photo
Ousmane Dembele 6 - Linked with a move away and the expensive Frenchman may yet leave. He was strongly criticised by fans and even club insiders after refusing to sign a contract. Started 15 league games and came on in six more. Scored only once, yet made an astonishing 13 assists, more than any other player. He’s one of the few players to get the crowd off their seats, to try and beat an opponent. It doesn’t always come off and that frustrates some fans used to more measured build up, but he’s box office on the pitch. Getty Images
Ansu Fati 5 - Another big teen talent, 19, but one who barely played because of a knee and then hamstring injury. He returned to the delight of the crowd at home to Mallorca in May and featured in Barça’s final five games of the season, playing on the left. Star potential – as he showed with a header against Real Madrid in the Super Cup which signalled the Catalans re-birth under Xavi. Getty Images
Ferran Torres 5 - Signed from Manchester City, his four goals (and four assists) in 1,417 league minutes was disappointing. He’s scored two in one game for City against Arsenal in August before his January move. He got another two in a March home win against Osasuna, but he was profligate elsewhere and needs consistency. Selfless, hard-working, supported by the crowd, versatile – but he needs to sharpen up in front of goal. AFP
Adama Traore 6 - Four league starts from when his loan move from Wolves started in January until the end of the season. Fast, strong, direct, the boy from Barcelona didn’t do enough for his team to make a serious push to sign him. Getty Images
Memphis Depay 7 - Given the small task of replacing Lionel Messi at the start of the season, he played well and scored in eight of Barça’s first 15 league games in a struggling side. But no goals or assists in six Champions League group games was one reason Barça didn’t advance. A hamstring and then Achilles injury disrupted his season before he came back into the starting XI at the close. Reuters
The club have worked ingeniously at doing so, but at the cost of effectively mortgaging portions of their projected future income from merchandise and broadcast deals.
Barca can and will present a better set of accounts to La Liga, but there is still a level of brinkmanship to their many deals of the summer. The sales of Depay and Frenkie de Jong – wanted by Manchester United – may become essential in order to get all the new signings registered within the income-to-outgoings balance stipulated by La Liga.
Lewandowski and Raphinha are just two of the newcomers. Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen have also joined this month, and although they came in on free transfers, they impact significantly on the wage bill. Christensen’s former Chelsea teammates, Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso are also being targeted.
Kessie came from Italian champions AC Milan, Lewandowski from the Bundesliga holders. Laporta is not shy about stressing that, for all Barcelona’s well-reported economic issues and a trophy drought that stretches back to the Copa del Rey of Messi’s final season there, Camp Nou is still a desired destination for stars.
“We were competing with clubs like PSG and Chelsea,” the Barcelona president said of the chase for Lewandowski. “I like that he wanted to come to Barca, accepted a lower salary here and withstood a lot of pressure from Bayern.”
The pressure Lewandowski takes on now is bigger: To reproduce the sort of prolific finishing he gave to Bayern and that, for over a decade, Barca could take for granted from Messi, the legend whose shadow lingers over the many attacking players who pass through Camp Nou’s revolving doors.
100 notable summer transfers Perr Schuurs - Ajax to Torino (£8m). AFP
Paco Alcacer - Villarreal to Sharjah (loan). Getty Images
Matheus Nunes - Sporting to Wolves (£38m). AFP
Tanguy Nianzou - Bayern Munich to Sevilla (£16.9m). AFP
Alan Virginius - Sochaux to Lille (£3.8m). AFP
Thilo Kehrer - PSG to West Ham (£10.1m). Getty Images
Pervis Estupinan - Villarreal to Brighton (£15.1m). Getty Images
Destiny Udogie - Udinese to Tottenham (£15.1m). Loaned back to Udinese. Reuters
Sergio Gomez - Anderlecht to Manchester City (£11m). Photo: Manchester City
Alex Collado - Barcelona to Elche (loan). AFP
Remo Freuler - Atalanta to Nottingham Forest (£9m). AP
Marc Bartra - Real Betis to Tranbzonspor (undisclosed fee). Getty Images
Giovani Lo Celso - Tottenham to Villarreal (loan). Getty Images
Cheikhou Kouyate - Crystal Palace to Nottingham Forest (free). Getty Images
Emmanuel Dennis - Watford to Nottingham Forest (£20m). Getty Images
Nico González - Barcelona to Valencia (loan). AP Photo
Luca Pellegrini - Juventus to Eintracht Frankfurt (loan). AFP
Daniel Wass - Atletico Madrid to Brondby (£1.7m). EPA
Pablo Marí - Arsenal to Monza (loan). AP
Dries Mertens - Napoli to Galatasaray (free). AFP
Jordan Veretout - Roma to Marseille (£9.3m). Reuters
Christian Benteke - Crystal Palace to DC United (undisclosed fee). AFP
Maxwell Cornet - West Ham United to Burnley (£17.5m). PA
Georginio Wijnaldum - PSG to Roma (loan). AFP
Lucas Torreira - Arsenal to Galatasaray (£5m). AFP
Marc Cucurella - Brighton to Chelsea (£55m). Getty Images
Ademola Lookman - RB Leipzig to Atalanta (£12.6m). PA via AP
Renato Sanches - Lille to Paris Saint-Germain (£12.6m). AFP
Riqui Puig - Barcelona to LA Galaxy (free). AP Photo
Alex Telles - Manchester United to Sevilla (loan). AFP
Carney Chukwuemeka - Aston Villa to Chelsea (£20m). Reuters
Kasper Schmeichel - Leicester City to Nice (£1m). AFP
Mattia Viti - Empoli to Nice (£10.9m). AFP
Gabriel Slonina - Chicago Fire to Chelsea (£8.3m). Reuters
Bernd Leno - Arsenal to Fulham (£3m). AFP
Charles De Ketelaere - Club Brugge to AC Milan (£26.8m). AFP
Joe Rodon - Tottenham to Stade Rennais (loan). AFP
Borja Mayoral - Real Madrid to Getafe (£8.4m). EPA
Cesc Fabregas - Monaco to Como (free). EPA
Alexis Beka Beaka - Lokomotiv Moscow to Nice (£11.7m). AFP
Marcus Tavernier -Middlesbrough to Bournemouth (£10m). Getty Images
Aaron Ramsey - Juventus to Nice (free). AFP
Orel Mangala - Stuttgart to Nottingham Forest (£12.7m). AFP
David Raum - Hoffenheim to RB Leipzig (£21.8m). Getty Images
Oscar Mingueza - Barcelona to Celta Vigo (£2.5m). Getty Images
Jules Kounde - Sevilla to Barcelona (£45m). AFP
Dwight McNeil - Burnley to Everton (£20m). Getty Images
Arnaud Kalimuendo - PSG to Rennes (£21m). Getty Images
Filip Kostic - Eintracht Frankfurt to Juventus (£14.4m). EPA
Salvatore Sirigu - Genoa to Napoli (free). Reuters
Mikkel Damsgaard - Sampdoria to Brentford (£12.7m). EPA
Malang Sarr - Chelsea to Monaco (loan). AFP
Issa Diop - West Ham United to Fulham (£15m). Getty Images
Alexis Sanchez - Internazionale to Marseille (free). Getty Images
Timo Werner - Chelsea to RB Leipzig (£18m). AP
Amadou Onana - Llle to Everton (£33.8m). AFP
Emirhan Ilkhan - Besiktas to Torino (£3.8m). PA
Gonçalo Guedes - Valencia to Wolves (£27.5m). AP Photo
Conor Coady - Wolves to Everton (loan). Getty Images
Anthony Modeste - Cologne to Borussia Dortmund (£3.8m). EPA
Angeliño - RB Leipzig to Hoffenheim (loan). Getty Images
Marcos Senesi - Feyenoord to Bournemouth (£12.6m). AFP
Isco - Real Madrid to Sevilla (free). EPA
Raheem Sterling - Manchester City to Chelsea (£50m). Getty Images
Lisandro Martinez - Ajax to Manchester United (£46m). Getty Images
Robert Lewandowski - Bayern Munich to Barcelona (£38.3m). AFP
Hugo Ekitike - Reims to Paris Saint-Germain (loan). AFP
Thomas Henry - Venezia to Verona (£3.8m). Getty Images
Takefusa Kubo - Real Madrid to Real Sociedad (£5.2m). Getty Images
Kalidou Koulibaly - Napoli to Chelsea (£33.8m). EPA
Chancel Mbemba - Porto to Marseille (free). EPA
Breel Embolo - Borussa Monchengladbach to Monaco (£10.6m). EPA
Christian Eriksen - Brentford to Manchester United (free). PA
Raphinha - Leeds United to Barcelona (£49m). Getty Images
Federico Bernardeschi - Juventus to Toronto FC (free). Getty Images
Andrea Cambiaso - Genoa to Juventus (£5.9m). Getty Images
Arturo Vidal - Inter Milan to Flamengo (free). Getty Images
Mohamed Bayo - Clermont to Lille (£11.8m). AFP
Francisco Trincao - Barcelona to Sporting (loan). Getty Images
Samu Castillejo - AC Milan to Valencia (undisclosed fee). PA
Lewis Ferguson - Aberdeen to Bologna (£3m). PA
Keane Lewis-Potter - Hull City to Brentford (£16m). PA
Alessio Romagnoli - AC Milan to Lazio (free). Getty Images
Nathan Collins - Burnley to Wolves (£20.5m). PA
Andriy Yarmolenko - West Ham United to Al Ain (free). AP Photo
David Ospina - Napoli to Al Nassr (free). Getty Images
Kristian Thorstvedt - Genk to Sassuolo (£8.4m). Reuters
Andreas Pereira -Manchester United to Fulham ( £10m). Getty Images
Gabriel Jesus - Manchester City to Arsenal (£45m). Getty Images
Steven Bergwijn - Tottenham Hotspur to Ajax (£26.5m). AP Photo
Andreas Christensen - Chelsea to Barcelona (free). AFP
Sébastien Haller - Ajax to Borussia Dortmund (£30.8m). AFP
Flynn Downes - Swansea City to West Ham United (£12m). PA
Junior Messias - Crotone to AC Milan (£3.8m). Reuters
Luis Sinisterra - Feyenoord to Leeds United (£21.3m). AFP
Brais Méndez - Celta Vigo to Real Sociedad (£12.8m). Getty Images
Moussa Niakhaté - Mainz to Nottingham Forest (£8.7m). Getty Images
Romeo Lavia - Manchester City to Southmpton (£12m). AP Photo
Tyler Adams - RB Leipzig to Leeds United (£20m). AP
Axel Witsel - Borussia Dortmund to Atletico Madrid (free). EPA
Maya Yoshida - Sampdoria to Schalke (free). AP Photo
Tyrell Malacia - Feyenoord to Manchester United (£12.9m). AP Photo
Zeki Celik - Lille to Roma (£6m). AFP
Ritsu Doan - PSV Eindhoven to Freiburg (£6.5m). AFP
Divock Origi - Liverpool to AC Milan (free). AFP
Rolando Mandragora - Torino to Fiorentina (£7m). EPA
Joao Palhinha - Sporting to Fulham (£17m). Getty Images
Franck Kessie - AC Milan to Barcelona (free). Getty Images
Trezeguet - Aston Villa to Trabzonspor (£3.4m). AFP
Kalvin Phillips - Leeds United to Manchester City (£45m). Reuters
Giulian Biancone - Troyes to Nottingham Forest (£5m). AFP
Giuliano Simeone - Atletico Madrid to Real Zaragoza (loan). EPA
Raoul Bellanova - Cagliari to Inter Milan (loan). Getty Images
Richarlison - Everton to Tottenham (£50 million). PA
Fabio Carvalho - Fulham to Liverpool (£5 million). PA
James Tarkowski Burnley to Everton (free). Getty Images
Sime Vrsaljko - Atletico Madrid to Olympiakos (free). AP Photo
Dean Henderson - Manchester United to Nottingham Forest (loan). PA
Luuk de Jong - Sevilla to PSV Eindhoven (£3.4m). AP Photo
Henrikh Mkhitaryan - Roma to Inter Milan (free). Reuters
Cenk Tosun - Everton to Besiktas (free). Reuters
Andre Onana - Ajax to Inter Milan (free). Getty
Moussa Sissoko - Watford to Nantes (£2m). AFP
Corentin Tolisso - Bayern Munich to Lyon (free). AFP
Vitinha - Porto to Paris Saint-Germain (£34m). AFP
Romelu Lukaku - Chelsea to Inter Milan (loan). PA
Lorenzo Insigne - Napoli to Toronto FC (free). AP
Sven Botman - Lille to Newcastle United (£31.9m). AFP
Takumi Minamino - Liverpool to Monaco (£15.5m). Getty Images
Alphonse Areola - Paris Saint-Germain to West Ham United (£7.8m). AFP
Lucas Leiva - Lazio to Gremo (free). Getty Images
Joselu - Alaves to Espanyol (free). Getty Images
Matt Turner - New England Revolution to Arsenal (£4.7m). Reuters
Fernandinho - Manchester City to Athletico Paranaense (free). PA
Bartol Franjic - Dinamo Zagreb to Wolfsburg (£6.9m). Getty Images
Wahbi Khazri - Saint-Etienne to Montpellier (free). AFP
Tobias Figueiredo - Hull City to Nottingham Forest (free). PA
Pietro Pellegri - Monaco to Tornio (£3.9m). Getty Images
Erling Haaland - Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City. Getty Images
Malcolm Ebiowei - Derby County to Crystal Palace (undisclosed). PA
Taiwo Awoniyi - Union Berlin to Nottingham Forest (£17m). Getty Images
Gareth Bale - Real Madrid to Los Angeles FC (free). PA
Lucas Alario - Bayer Leverkusen to Eintracht Frankfurt (£5.6m). PA
Sadio Mane - Liverpool to Bayern Munich (£28m). Getty Images
Armindo Sieb - Bayern Munich to Greuther Fürth (undisclosed fee). Getty Images
Nick Pope - Burnley to Newcastle (£10m). PA
Ki-Jana Hoever - Wolves to PSV Eindhoven (loan). PA
Ryan Fredericks - West Ham United to Bournemouth (free). Getty Images
Mario Götze - PSV Eindhoven to Eintracht Frankfurt (£3.4m). Getty Images
Fabio Vieira - Porto to Arsenal (£30m). EPA
Antonio Rudiger - Chelsea to Real Madrid (free). PA
Merih Demiral - Juventus to Atalanta (£17.2m). AFP
Giovanni Simeone - Cagliari to Hellas Verona (£10.3m). AP
Marc Roca - Bayern Munich to Leeds United (£10m). PA
Yves Bissouma - Brighton to Tottenham (£25m). PA
Gavin Bazunu - Manchester City to Southampton (£12m). PA
Darwin Nunez - Benfica to Liverpool (£64.3m). PA
Aurelien Tchouameni - Monaco to Real Madrid (£85.3m). AFP
Nemanja Matic - Manchester United to Roma (free). EPA
Ryan Gravenberch - Ajax to Bayern Munich (£20m). EPA
Giorgio Chiellini - Juventus to Los Angeles FC (released). Getty Images
Cameron Carter-Vickers - Tottenham to Celtic (£6m). AFP
Alexandre Lacazette - Arsenal to Lyon (free transfer). AFP
Updated: July 20, 2022, 3:41 AM