Barcelona manager Hansi Flick requests priority shift for summer transfer plans

While the football world is focused on the January transfer window, most clubs have already set in motion their planning process for the coming summer. That is the case at Barcelona too, who with little space in their salary limit to bring anyone in this winter, have begun thinking ahead to the summer.

Sporting Director Deco and manager Hansi Flick have already started discussing their next moves, as they work on the assumption of using La Masia players where possible and adding star quality on top of it. The top two priorities currently remain a left winger and a central defender, while the full-back positions have been cited as their other two positions that Flick and Deco feel could be strengthened.

Sport report that in recent week, their discussions have taken them towards the conclusion that their next priority should be the right-back position. Left-back was also considered a point of potential improvement, but that idea has receded of late. If they do bring in a right-back, it will be someone of starting quality, but it will likely hinge on how many players leave and for what money.

It will not be an entirely surprising read for Barcelona fans, given it comes off the back of an upturn in form from Alejandro Balde. The 21-year-old has looked much closer to his best of late, after a tricky 18 months, a third of which he was injured for. It also takes into account the over-reliance on Jules Kounde. Flick appears yet to be convinced that youngster Hector Fort can adequately cover him, and the Frenchman is the most used player in world  football in terms of minutes at the moment. If Barcelona are to spend big next summer, it likely means the departure of one or both of Ronald Araujo and Frenkie de Jong.