Asked about transfer target and countryman Memphis Depay, Barça head coach Ronald Koeman said the LaLiga giants are not currently in a position to buy.
Barcelona must sell before they can buy Lyon captain Memphis Depay, says Blaugrana head coach Ronald Koeman, who expects to start the LaLiga season with no additions to the squad.
Depay has been tipped to reunite with former Netherlands coach Koeman at Barça following his exploits for Ligue 1 outfit and Champions League semi-finalists Lyon.
"For Depay to arrive, you must first sell"
However, Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas – prior to Tuesday's 2-1 loss against Montpellier – claimed Barça cannot afford to buy Depay due to their finances amid the coronavirus crisis.
Koeman, who has replaced Quique Setién at Camp Nou, was asked about former Manchester United forward Depay amid talk of a 25-million-euro transfer and he told Fox Sports Netherlands: "For Depay to arrive, you must first sell."
Barça have been linked with a number of players following a miserable 2019-20 campaign, which saw the Spanish powerhouse dethroned by bitter rivals Real Madrid in LaLiga and embarrassed 8-2 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.
After receiving Miralem Pjanic in a swap deal that sent Arthur to Serie A champions Juventus, Barça continue to be linked with Inter star Lautaro Martínez.
Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has emerged as a possible target for Barça, while former star Thiago Alcantara has also been linked with a move from Bayern.
However, Koeman said: "We're working towards the new season and I think we will go into it with the same group of players that we have now for pre-season."
Barça will open their 2020-21 LaLiga campaign at home to Unai Emery's Villarreal on 26 September.
Koeman on Messi: "We will continue as usual"
Lionel Messi is set to take to the field for Barça following a turbulent off-season, which saw the superstar captain try to leave the club.
Linked to Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter and Juventus, six-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi decided to stay after handing in a transfer request amid frustration with Barça's board.
Asked about the situation involving Messi, former Barça defender Koeman added: "That has passed me reasonably well. That was mainly a conflict between Messi and the club.
"I have spoken to Messi since then and we will continue as usual."
sebbdlopr
0
Barcelona stop wasting money
sebbdlopr
0
We don't need him
orange1995
2
may God help us
Soumik96
0
koeman making netherlands team Barcelona renamed will be Football club dutch FCD
Noocptuy
0
we should keep suarez in bench sometime is he is magical
yeah bro
xhakadranmustafi
1
Barca and Liverpool are the same now
Panabdiku
2
we should keep suarez in bench sometime is he is magical
Absolutely right bro
Panabdiku
4
There is no need to buy depay right now, all we need is defender at least one or two, pique replacement and alba. Bring Emerson from real bet is for semedo backup if possible let hin start ahead of semedo
LOWLOW⚽⚽⚽BM
2
Why not EXCHANGE players u Idiots
Neymarcelo
0
I think Vidal will leave then Depay will come
Vidal will leave for free or not more than 2 million
copaeiprsy
4
we should keep suarez in bench sometime is he is magical
OmzeAnsu
2
This koeman is a comfused man, he don't want to sell useless players at the club and he is not ready to buy any defender. I'm tired of him already.
It is not easy to sell players under contract my dear and if other clubs doesn’t need them how would you sell them either
RafiatNasirRimon
3
I think Vidal will leave then Depay will come
Barcalover
2
This koeman is a comfused man, he don't want to sell useless players at the club and he is not ready to buy any defender. I'm tired of him already.
zeheklnosz
0
they should have sold Messi, used the money to strengthen their team,
Who wanna buy Messi for £700 million
Hasan1299
0
but is he not involved? He is removing experienced players cheaply!!!
he is removing but the he doesn't decide their transfer fees.It's those from our dumb board
Jitbkloprt
3
they should have sold Messi, used the money to strengthen their team,
danriwbik
3
This Barca board and Manager are getting on nerves, let them come and sign me on free transfer😂😂
SkullSwagger
0
So Rakitic left for free to Sevilla or?
If Barca need to sell why I'd bartomeu selling rakitic for 1.5M 😥 now vidal will leave for free
grgprashant
2
I have good idea sell bartemou on auction🚮
Jokbcmnoz
1
So Rakitic left for free to Sevilla or?
xavyboss
1
Yaseengrizi
3
koeman is legendary defender so he should know how to play in that back role so he would be teaching current defenders of barca how to press and play. that's the reason barca are not signing I think.... [byebye]
xavyboss
0
Barcelona's strength is their intensity, high pressing and ball possession...our squad was too old to do that..when we are able to hold on to the ball and try to get the ball when we lose it together as a team we don't need big money defenders....attacking is the best form of defence for Barcelona...to do that we need young and energetic midfielders..
finally someone gets it I mean which high profile defender could we get without spending big.Its all about the midfield and attack doing the extra pressing jot defence alone we have about 5 quality cbs in todibo lenglet araujo pique cuenca and maybe umtiti
Aman1997
0
It doesn't take a genius to know that in the times of economics crises, you must sell before you buy. Selling Rakitic was almost like a free transfer.
jonatzDjango
1
In other words, no money.
raynknight
5
The Club who generates highest revenue in the world is struggling to complete a £30m signing. - Don't overthink, Just Blame it all On Lord Bartemou. Man's a Clown 🤡
RoyAbhinandan
2
Please sell Messi ,it would good for Messi from now. and good for you from the next season 🙏🙏
Yiwitz
2
why the club is not trying to buy defenders after 8-2 loss😏
Barcelona's strength is their intensity, high pressing and ball possession...our squad was too old to do that..when we are able to hold on to the ball and try to get the ball when we lose it together as a team we don't need big money defenders....attacking is the best form of defence for Barcelona...to do that we need young and energetic midfielders..
sukesha
5
why the club is not trying to buy defenders after 8-2 loss😏
sooabpu
0
How can they afford when only one man is gulping 10 players wages?
does juve buy players or not? yet one man is taken a salary of ten players.no one invite you in this talk if you don't have anything lovely to say keep quite
Doctor Ok
2
it's not koeman who sells players it's the club.Koeman is not involed in transfer negotiations
but is he not involved? He is removing experienced players cheaply!!!
VAR-IS-SHIT
2
well thats because past united deals have made us targeted, we have overpaid for many players in the past that ones we get interested in a player the team increases his value, united are trying to stop that trend, plus most Agent target united to get better deals for their players either in contract or getting a club to pay up for their player, even when united officials have showed no interest in the player, 70% of the players we are linked to we are actually not interested in, only the media link us to them
that's been the case with bartomeu too... he overspends on certain players (coutinho, dembele, malcolm, and some more)
Kendrick_jnr
1
that i know... still, united are trolled because, for example, if they want to sign 10 players, they will sign 2, but other like barca, real and juventus will sign 2 out of 5 players... you guys stall the transfers nore too... you can't argue with that because you yourself know how long you waited for fernandes and the current sancho situation... others too take time sometimes, but atleast they either sign him quicker or call the deal off as a whole
well thats because past united deals have made us targeted, we have overpaid for many players in the past that ones we get interested in a player the team increases his value, united are trying to stop that trend, plus most Agent target united to get better deals for their players either in contract or getting a club to pay up for their player, even when united officials have showed no interest in the player, 70% of the players we are linked to we are actually not interested in, only the media link us to them
Hasan1299
1
It's really hard to understand Ronald AXEMAN!! You are selling players at 1.5 million to buy one player for over 50 millions?!! At this rate you are going to sell the whole club and even the board. Below is Barca squad of next season
[image]
it's not koeman who sells players it's the club.Koeman is not involed in transfer negotiations
Hafiz3011
0
sell pique,alba,, Roberto, buskets and suares
busquets, pique and roberto just got voted club captains, they're not going anywhere
voybcdkrt
3
I regret supporting this useless club called Barca.
Neymar10-Barcelona
1
We will rise again, more than ever. Hope Koeman knows how to make use our players in their respective positions. De Jong, Coutinho, Pjanic, Puig, Alena, Busquets and Rafinha are enough in midfield, So Wijnamdum is not needed. Hope Eric comes in place of Umtiti and if Suarez is not in his plans I think we still need Depay because he is fast, can dribble well also. Fast player is always needed in the attacking line. Hope for the best. Forca Barca 🛑🌐
[image]
ok but we have a lot of attackers like messi, griezmann, dembele, fati, coutinho, braithwaite so we don't need depay, because dembele and fati dribble better and are faster than him. we need only some defenders like eric garcia. we need to be just like chelsea.
VAR-IS-SHIT
2
Trincao is an old transfer agreed in January, it doesn't count in this summer he's been your player since January already, Pedri is an academy player you shouldn't be talking about that, United have signed 4 3 academy players you don't see me mentioning it, Pjanic is a swap deal which you actually got the worst of, more like a transer out, selling out your young player for a much older guy, so if you really check it no actually new exciting arrival, so the pandemic is affecting your club as all big clubs, i mean you can't buy a 25m player without selling first
that i know... still, united are trolled because, for example, if they want to sign 10 players, they will sign 2, but other like barca, real and juventus will sign 2 out of 5 players... you guys stall the transfers nore too... you can't argue with that because you yourself know how long you waited for fernandes and the current sancho situation... others too take time sometimes, but atleast they either sign him quicker or call the deal off as a whole
BarcaChelArg
1
That's papa Bartomeu effect doctor Koeman😂🤣
ishaan1301
3
Ya like you sold Rakitic for 1 million 😑😑😑 dumbest transfer in the history of football
Manreet_Aujla
2
So true so without selling they'll have messi,greiz,dembele,fati,pedri,trincao,suarez in the attack and even want to have depay does it make sense? From above 7-8 just 3 or max 4 will be the starters
Kendrick_jnr
1
Barcelona have the worst management in the world ..and they don't have any money left to buy players ..it's because of mismanagement ..most people talk about it because Messi is still there and they still have a pretty great side ..defence is horrible though ..
mismanagement and reduction in funding, I'm sure if not for the virus Barca would have spent more
YinkaKerry
1
How can they afford when only one man is gulping 10 players wages?
Kendrick_jnr
1
trincao ? pedri ? pjanic ? who are these people then ?
Trincao is an old transfer agreed in January, it doesn't count in this summer he's been your player since January already, Pedri is an academy player you shouldn't be talking about that, United have signed 4 3 academy players you don't see me mentioning it, Pjanic is a swap deal which you actually got the worst of, more like a transer out, selling out your young player for a much older guy, so if you really check it no actually new exciting arrival, so the pandemic is affecting your club as all big clubs, i mean you can't buy a 25m player without selling first
Goldenbeard
4
sell pique,alba,, Roberto, buskets and suares
Teaabdilor
1
man city
Doctor Ok
3
It's really hard to understand Ronald AXEMAN!! You are selling players at 1.5 million to buy one player for over 50 millions?!! At this rate you are going to sell the whole club and even the board. Below is Barca squad of next season
akxsh
0
Barcelona neither sell nor buy any players , such a laughing stock this club has turned out to be under the management of Barto ..simply destroying the twilight years of Messi .. even after getting smashed for 8-2 ..still they don't care about the defence. what a joke 😠😠😠😠
if we want to but first we must sell players double for that amount like if we need to but depay for 30m we must sell players for 60m I think there's a protocol like that introduced by laliga
VAR-IS-SHIT
2
Nobody will talk about Barca's inability to sign anyone, but everyone is focused on united who's already had one addition, the coronavirus is hitting all top clubs, unless you have money in place already for new arrivals, then their is not much you can do, unless you want to go into huge debt, people don't understand that clubs are business, and like all businesses proper management is required
trincao ? pedri ? pjanic ? who are these people then ?