New-look FC Barcelona

There have been some huge changes at FC Barcelona between the end of last season and the beginning of the present one: five new signings, three new players for barça B, two back from loan, six sales, two players leaving on loan and a new manager to boot.

That’s twenty changes in total, and the upshot is a 24-man.squad, four players more than in the one that ended the 2019/20 season.

Five signings

Barça have five new players, although a lot of the work to procure them was already done the season before. Pedri was officially announced way back in September 2019, and Matheus and Trincão on January 31 following the winter transfer window. This summer has seen Miralem Pjanić and Sergiño Dest also added to the roster, the latter just a few days ago.

Three up from Barça B

The three players that have arrived from the B team have attracted almost as much excitement. That’s because we are talking about three of the hottest young stars in the game right now. Ansu Fati, Ronald Araujo and Riqui Puig were already spending a large amount of their time with the first team anyway last season, but now they are official member. No fewer than ten of the first team are former reserves.

Aleñá and Coutinho return

The midfielder has been reinforced by two players that already knew the Camp Nou. Carles Aleñá and Philippe Coutinho have come back from loan spells at Real Betis and Bayern Munich.

Six sold and two loaned

In order to bring in new players, you need to make room and that has happened with several players departing on transfer or loan deals. Arthur Melo (Juventus), Ivan Rakitic (Sevilla), Arturo Vidal (Inter Milan), Nelson Semedo (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Luis Suárez (Atlético Madrid) and Rafinha (PSG) have all gone, while Moussa Wagué (PAOK Salonica) and Jean-Claire Todibo (Benfica) have left on loan.

Ronald Koeman, new boss

Coach Quique Setién departed at the end of last season and he has been replaced by Ronald Koeman, the hero of Wembley 1992.