Barcelona stars who could move to Premier League: Arsenal targets, former Chelsea man…

Ben Mattinson 17 Apr 2024 1:45 PM

Raphinha, Frenkie de Jong and Andreas Christensen are among the Barcelona players who could leave

With Barcelona needing to sell players in order to fund their business, there are a few who will be courted by Premier League clubs as they look to bolster their squad.

Barcelona have been knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals and it’s clear they’re not the side they once were, but there are promising signs they could be on the right track.

With so many financial troubles, the Catalans will be forced to offload some star players to fund transfers and upgrade their squad, but which are the most likely to leave and are being targeted by English sides?

Raphinha

Former Leeds winger Raphinha has had mixed reviews from Barcelona fans but the reality is he’s been good for them since joining.

More recently he’s moved out to the left wing so 16-year-old wonderkid Lamine Yamal can start on the right wing.

Although this isn’t Raphinha’s natural position, because he prefers to cut in from the right to shoot with his stronger left foot, he’s done very well there. In fact, he scored three goals in the Champions League quarter-final over the two legs vs PSG.

With Barcelona possibly needing to sell someone and Raphinha having many suitors in the Premier League, he may look to move elsewhere.

Arsenal and Chelsea could rekindle their interest in the summer, while the the likes of Newcastle, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham have also been linked. Maybe even a return to Leeds could be on the cards if they’re promoted?

Raphinha will want to stay at Barcelona as it’s his dream club, but if they need to sell there are clubs that he’d be interested in joining.

Frenkie De Jong

Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong has been at Barcelona for five years since signing from Ajax in 2019. During that time the club has had a lot of financial issues and struggled with effective squad building and there’s been changes in the squad, as well as at management and board level.

De Jong has had to play so many different roles to fill in for others and as one of the more experienced players in the squad, has had a lot of responsibility.

Back in 2022, Man Utd made a bid for De Jong as Ten Hag eyed a reunion with his former Ajax star midfielder. But De Jong decided to stay at Barcelona despite the club being open to selling him.

Financially, if Barcelona still need to make a sale to fund their transfer business, Frenkie De Jong is one of their most sellable assets in a position where they can replace him.

The likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Man City especially all have long term interest in De Jong.

Andreas Christensen

Having gone through the Chelsea academy, Andreas Christensen counts as a ‘homegrown’ player for Premier League clubs and because of Barcelona signing him for free in 2022, they may be able to make a big profit on him.

Christensen has lost his first team place to La Masia’s latest hot prospect Pau Cubarsi. With defenders Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde chosen over him at CB and RB, Christensen may look elsewhere for starting minutes.

Christensen’s experience and calmness on the ball would be extremely valuable for a top side in the Premier League looking to rebuild their defence.

The Danish centre back is able to play as a defensive midfielder and could even play as a right back. Andreas Christensen is excellent on the ball in bringing the ball out of defence, which would be an asset to any Premier League side.

Ansu Fati

Ansu Fati’s career hasn’t lived up to the potential just yet, but he still has a lot of time on his side. Plagued with injuries, Fati ended up joining Brighton this season on a loan from Barcelona.

Fati has shown some glimpses of brilliance but hasn’t set the league alight. But the potential is still there and if he’s able to stay fit for longer, then he could still be a great addition for a top team.

It’s uncertain what Fati’s future holds and whether he stays at Barcelona, but he could be a great market opportunity for many Premier League teams.

If they’re able to sign him for a relatively low fee, then help to manage Fati’s injuries and heal him, he may end up reaching his potential and becoming a steal of a signing.

Ferran Torres

Another player with previous Premier League experience is Ferran Torres and every transfer window he seems to be linked with a move away.

The player himself probably wants to stay as he forced through his move to Barcelona in the first place. But he’s not a starter over Raphinha and Yamal, also even Joao Felix is often preferred over him.

With this in mind, Torres may be someone Barcelona look to part ways with. It all depends on the manager for the upcoming season.

A new boss may see value in him and less in other options. The former Man City man has been linked with teams such as Aston Villa and Arsenal in the past and his versatility would be very useful in the Premier League as he can play both wings, as a striker or a second striker.

Barcelona Ferran Torres Raphinha