Free player's too expensive for Barca

Well, not exactly peanuts, but you know. Lyon attacker Memphis Depay will be out of contract at the end of June and is free to join any club that offers him a contract. This makes him an interesting target for a number of big clubs because, hey – everyone loves a bargain.

Ronald Koeman wants to sign his compatriot Depay after the season is over, but the offer will be lower than the one he could offer when the talks first started in October 2020. It’s a result of Barcelona’s failure to offload some of their highest-earning players in the meantime.

Not having to pay a transfer fee to Lyon does make recruiting Depay easier, but it still doesn’t make it free. The 27-year-old Dutchman is on a $6.3million annual salary at the French club and isn’t likely to accept less at his next club. He’s done it one before, actually. After his poor spell at Manchester United, Memphis opted to join Lyon in January 2017 for nearly half the wages. The things are different now because he’s got three strong seasons behind him. At his age, he’ll want a wage hike for sure.

Depay has scored 20 goals in 35 appearances across all competitions for Champions League-chasing Lyon this season and has provided nine assists for the side currently sat fourth in Ligue 1.

King Leo and the dukes of tiki-taka

It is believed some chiefs prefer the signing of Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland, but their chances have taken a blow after the 20-year-old's agent Mino Raiola offered his services to many top sides around Europe. So, bargains and freebies it is!

Barca are on the lookout for free agents this summer as new president Joan Laporta tries to get finances back in order while somehow convincing their biggest star Lionel Messi to remain at the club. Memphis reportedly wants to become a Barcelona player, but it’s not unthinkable for the other interested clubs, Inter, Juventus and Atletico Madrid to come up with an offer that would price Barcelona out of the deal.

Just a few short years ago it would be unthinkable to see Barcelona struggling to secure a signing of a free agent. But the times are changing.