It's a bit of a tricky one this, because obviously, you want to draw a line between sentiment and having a squad that's good enough to stay up in the Premier League. My heart says keep all of this squad around, apart from a couple of the fringe players in the Premier League, because they're the ones who got us there, and it was a 25-year wait, so these players, this squad, are going to go down as Coventry legends.
However, according to SPORT, one of the defenders most appreciated by Deco is Nathan Ake, currently under contract with Manchester City until 2027. The 31-year-old Dutch international is viewed internally as a player who could fit both sporting and financial requirements for the Blaugrana. Ake offers versatility, being able to play as a left-sided centre-back or left-back, which suits the needs of coach Hansi Flick.
Barcelona have struck gold with Joan Garcia, and just over six months have been enough for the new signing to prove his worth. In just his first season at the club, the youngster is already making a case to be called the best goalkeeper in Spain, and is at the doorstep of a national team call-up. Further, he has already won the Catalans multiple games single-handedly, with his best ever performance coming under pressure against his former club Espanyol.
The 37-year-old centre-forward has accepted a reduced role this season, with Hansi Flick counting on Ferran Torres more and more, but has continued to contribute in a significant way, creating a quandary for the club. The Blaugrana see that his performances remain good, that he continues to score goals and has accepted that he is no longer an undisputed starter.
We've been thinking about it since the end of the 2024 summer transfer window to be prepared for all scenarios. As you know, in addition to squad planning, my responsibilities included reducing the salary level. Therefore, we initially focused on 'internal transfers' which are contract extensions and youth players - and only then on external players, players we want to sign,
