- Atleti officially signed Depay on Friday
- Barca short of depth at left wing
- Limited finances make any move tricky
WHAT HAPPENED? News broke that Memphis was due to leave for Atleti yesterday, with the Madrid club bringing in the forward for an inexpensive €3 million (£2.63m/$3.24m). And after Barcelona's convincing 5-0 win over Ceuta yesterday, Xavi speculated that his team could use more firepower in the front line.
WHAT THEY SAID: "I don't know if there are signings that will come to the team, but with the departure of Memphis Depay, I think it is necessary to sign a striker," Xavi said. "We'll see if that's possible though I think things will be fine.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Memphis wasn't exactly a regular for Barca in recent months. But he was still a valuable squad player, who could contribute in multiple positions. The Dutch international was reportedly planning to leave in the summer as a free agent, but Atleti coaxed him away from Camp Nou a few months early. Signing a player to replace him will be tricky, though, as Barca are still bound by La Liga's strict financial rules.
IN TWO PHOTOS:
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Atlético MadridWHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA? The Blaugrana will look to bring in attacking options this window, but might find themselves constricted by their financial woes.