Official: Barcelona announce three player departures including veteran defender and two on-loan stars

FC Barcelona have announced that veteran defender Marcos Alonso and Joao Cancelo in addition to forward Joao Felix will not continue at the club.

“Marcos Alonso, Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo are not to continue with FC Barcelona,” read a statement from the club.

“The Spanish defender’s contract ends on June 30, as do the loan contracts for the two Portuguese players, who will return to their respective clubs. 

“FC Barcelona would like to place on record their appreciation for their commitment and dedication, and wishes them all the best and every success in the future,” it added.

What next for Barcelona?

It must be noted that Alonso’s exit was inevitable. While the Spaniard was of great use to Xavi, given his versatility, questions over his fitness loomed given that he played his last game in April.

Overall, he played just eight matches, with only five of them coming as a starter.

For Felix and Cancelo, negotiating with their teams, Atletico Madrid and Manchester City respectively was posing a significant challenge considering their atrocious financial demands.

Despite the fact that Hansi Flick wanted Felix to continue, Atletico Madrid were reportedly looking for a figure of at least €60 million. Similarly, for Cancelo, Man City demanded €30 million.

Given the financial constraints, it was difficult for Barcelona to pay these amounts, resulting in the departure of the Portuguese duo.

As of today, what steps will Barcelona take is relatively unknown. While their stance on acquiring a left-winger is known to all, their full-back situation seems to be sorted.

This is because on the left, they have Alejandro Balde and Alex Valle, while on the right, they have Hector Fort and Julian Araujo.