It is no secret that Barcelona lacks quality on the bench. Luis Enrique is hesitant to ever head into any game without his treble-winner starters and that lack of confidence is weighing on the team. As the opening of the summer transfer window draws closer, “Lucho” needs to consider letting these players leave the Blaugrana.
- Jeremy Mathieu– Handballs, bad first touches, and sloppy defending have all been plaguing the defender in recent months. While quick on the ball and in possession of a skilled left foot, none of these have outweighed the negative impact Jeremy has had when he steps on the Pitch. At this point, it would be better to sell him now, as he seems to be falling apart at the seams faster than a cheap prom dress.
- Thomas Vermaelen– Another defender who has been hit with constant injuries, Vermaelen has spent more time on the bench watching the game than playing it. Since moving from Arsenal, the centre-back has yet to form a cohesive partnership with any of the other defenders. Without Pique to back him up, Thomas looks utterly lost when on the field.
- Adriano Correia– Supposedly a utility knife, Adriano was brought to Barcelona to be the “superstar” substitute. Unfortunately, his lack of creative play has left him as the fourth pick back-up, behind fresh-faced Sergi Roberto. Now over thirty, there is not much room left for him to accumulate any more minutes.
Barcelona’s transfer policies have been very questionable in recent times as they let Pedro, their super sub, go, whilst keeping players like Adriano and bringing in aging players like the aforementioned Mathieu and Vermaelen. Even the Arda Turan signing seems a bit unfeasible given the more than sufficient depth they already had in midfield, in addition to the youngsters that will soon be blossoming.
While there are many other players on the bench that seem to be collecting dust and not adding anything to the Barca equation, the three players mentioned above should be the first to be sold this summer to clear up space.
