Barcelona's Untouchables: Why Messi, Ter Stegen, De Jong & Ansu Fati won't be sold

Massimo Moratti may no longer own Inter but the former president still has not given up on seeing Lionel Messi at San Siro.

“I don’t think it’s a forbidden dream at all," the Italian tycoon told Radio Rai recently.

"Maybe it wasn’t even before [the coronavirus outbreak]. Messi is at the end of his contract and it would certainly be attempted to bring him home. I don’t know if this situation will change anything, but I think we will see strange things at the end of the season."

The current Barcelona board have certainly done some strange things in recent seasons but even they wouldn't entertain the idea of selling the club captain.

Messi's eventual departure terrifies the Blaugrana, so there is no way that they would bring it forward.

As his recent Ballon d'Or victory underlined, he remains the best player in the world and Barca are arguably more reliant upon him than ever before.

In an era of dreadful instability at Camp Nou, Messi's genius is the one constant. He is essentially the sole reason why a painfully average and rudderless Barca team are top of La Liga and still in contention for a sixth Champions League.

Consequently, the club's primary focus now is on making the most of the Argentine's remaining years at the peak of his powers.

Their dream was to reunite him with his good friend Neymar but, due to their cash-flow problems, the hope now is to bring in Lautaro Martinez, a player that Messi holds in the highest esteem.

Even that will not be easy, though, given the Inter striker's €111 million (£100m/$123m) buy-out clause, which is why Barca are trying to persuade the Milanese outfit to accept a player-plus-cash deal.

It's a similar story with Miralem Pjanic, with the Catalans presently trying to persuade Juventus to agree to an NBA-style trade.

The names of Nelson Semedo, Junior Firpo, Arthur Melo, Arturo Vidal and Ivan Rakitic have all been mentioned as potential makeweights in Barca's summer transfer plans.

Moratti even claimed that if Lautaro does end up at Camp Nou, it might be because Messi has moved to San Siro.

That is simply not going to happen, though. Messi will not be swapped, traded or sold whatever the situation. He is one of Barcelona's 'Untouchables', along with Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Frenkie de Jong and Ansu Fati.

Ter Stegen may be strangely underrated outside of Barcelona but, at Camp Nou, he is rightly regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world and, as such, considered absolutely integral to the team's success.

Indeed, he is the Blaugrana's most reliable performer after Messi, the only member of the squad who also performs miracles on a near-weekly basis.

Talks over a new contract may have been put on hold due to the coronavirus outbreak but extending the German's stay beyond 2022 is one of the club's priorities this summer.

Ter Stegen certainly won't take much convincing. As he said in a recent Instagram Live, "I am very happy here, the sporting situation is good, the team is doing well – what more can I ask for?"

De Jong would probably ask for more game time in his preferred position.

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Sergio Busquets is one of the greatest defensive midfielders the game has ever seen but it has become clear over the past 18 months that time is catching up with a player who will turn 32 in July.

De Jong was signed as the Spaniard's successor but the versatile Dutchman has been primarily used on the right-hand side this term.

Even so, he has been one of Barca's better performers in an inconsistent campaign for the team as a whole.

His time will clearly come, which is why there was absolutely no truth in recent speculation in the Italian press that Barca might be willing to send De Jong to Turin in exchange for Pjanic.

As Goal has learned, Juventus did enquire about the availability of Fati but were immediately told that the 17-year-old is not for sale at any price.

Indeed, Barcelona made it clear to both the Bianconeri and the player himself that they wouldn't even consider letting the club's youngest ever goalscorer leave on loan next season.

Although it's yet to be made official, Fati's promotion to the first-team squad is considered a formality, which would be hugely symbolic as the Blaugrana have been criticised by fans for overlooking La Masia's finest in recent years.

It makes sense from a purely sporting perspective, though, given there is no guarantee that fellow forwards Antoine Griezmann or Ousmane Dembele will be at Camp Nou next season.

The French duo are two of the most expensive signings in Barcelona's history but the club would consider big bids for either man.

In that sense, Moratti is right: strange things could indeed happen in this summer's transfer market. And it costs nothing to dream.

However, as far as Barcelona are concerned, Messi, Ter Stegen, De Jong and Fati are all priceless.