Barcelona strengthens its ranks with strong deals in January

Barcelona president Joan Laporta said that the first-team squad should be strengthened with new deals next January, and assured fans that the club is "working" towards this goal.

 Barcelona is facing difficult conditions this season, as it occupies seventh place in the Spanish League after 15 stages of the competition, 16 points behind its rivals, Real Madrid, the leader in the league table, knowing that Barcelona has a game postponed.

Barcelona also exited the group stage of the European Champions League, as it finished third in its group, one point behind Benfica, and will play a play-off in the competition to qualify for the round of 16 in the European League.

Financial problems prevented Barcelona from offering to renew the contract of Argentine star Lionel Messi (34 years), to leave the team in a free transfer deal and join Paris Saint-Germain in the last summer transfer market.

Barcelona tried to compensate for Messi's departure with the two attacking deals Memphis Depay and Sergio Aguero, who joined the team in two free transfer deals, but Aguero participated in only five games and was excluded from participating for an indefinite period due to a heart problem.

Laporta is aware of Barcelona's need for new faces in order to return to the competition for titles, but he pointed out that the high wage budget is a major obstacle.

"We all agree that the team must be strengthened," Laporta said late on Friday. "The problem is that we have inherited contracts that do not give us room to move because of salaries."

"However, we are looking for a way to develop the first team during the winter transfer market. We are working on that."

Barcelona plays its next league match against its host Osasuna on Sunday and is looking to reduce the six-point difference that separates it from the closest qualifying places for the Champions League.

Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news