Barcelona are going through an excellent season so far after selling one of their best players last summer.
When Neymar left Camp Nou to join Paris Saint-Germain for a world record fee of 222million euros, everyone thought that Barca will be a much weaker side.
However, given the fact how the season has gone so far, looks like they aren’t missing much the Brazilian star.
Ousmane Dembele came as his replacement but soon he suffered a serious injury, leaving Barca only in the hands of Lionel Messi.
Barca are yet to suffer a defeat in all competitions and currenty are nine points clear at the top of the La Liga table.
Now Barca are closer than ever to land Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool.
And Sky Sports journalist Guillem Belague is claiming that Barcelona board are making preparations to accomodate Coutinho by materialising another signing, Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann.
Speaking on Sky Sports, the Spanish football expert believes Barca will offload eight players in order to improve their squad, something which they are required to do to meet their promise to Lionel Messi.
“What is quite clear is that Barcelona have decided to reinforce the squad,” Balague said. “To reinforce the first XI, they want Griezmann and they want Coutinho.
“They want Coutinho now if possible, otherwise they will try again in the summer.
“And Griezmann they will try in the summer when his buyout clause will be €100m (£89m).
“To do that, they need to get rid of about eight players, and they will start doing the job now.
“It is a matter of timing, they will want to make this Barcelona squad as strong as possible because that is the promise they made Messi when they renewed his contract – this will be a stronger Barcelona.
“And you look at the stats and you say: ‘Well Barcelona are doing well.’
“Yes, but everybody realises there are weaknesses, the team is getting old and they need new blood.
“And by getting Coutinho, by getting Griezmann, that will be the kind of Barcelona they want to see in the future.”
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