Barcelona want Ronald Koeman to axe three big-name stars
Barcelona want Ronald Koeman to make big changes at the club. His first order of business will be to axe three big-name superstars.
Ronald Koeman hasn’t been hired to make gentle changes at Barcelona. Instead, the dogmatic manager has been chosen to drastically overhaul the club’s side. That means he’s been given a firm directive to offload several big-name stars ahead of next season.
According to Cadena Ser, the three first-team stars most likely to be headed out the exit door are Jordi Alba, Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez. Each player has contributed mightily to the Barcelona cause during their respective careers, but each is also edging closer to the end of their professional careers.
Rakitic will be the easiest loss for the club to absorb. He made 31 league appearances for Barcelona last season but 15 of them were off the substitutes bench. His lack of athleticism makes him a poor fit for the brand of football that Koeman wants to install. Another club will be happy to purchase him because of his skill, but it’s time for him to take a step back from the bright lights of Barcelona.
Alba may be edging towards an age-related decline, but he was one of the squad’s most productive players this season. He started 25 matches at fullback and held up reasonably well. Barcelona officials are right to think they can purchase a younger, more dynamic option this summer, but Alba’s steady play at the back may be missed at times.
The real surprise name here is definitely Suarez. The idea of selling a 33-year-old striker makes a lot of economical sense for the club, but he was prolific for Barcelona this season. Replacing the 16 goals and eight assists he provided the club during La Liga play will be a massive challenge for Koeman in his first season at Barcelona.
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The hope for Barcelona supporters is that the funds generated from the sale of three such prominent players can be invested to bring in younger players that are better fits for Koeman’s system. Their new manager is certainly being given the ability to reshape the squad in his image. Time will tell if that works out well for the Spanish giants.