Barcelona have scheduled a meeting with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nasr over the sale of defender Clement Lenglet.
The club’s precarious financial position has not been helped by a lack of sales of fringe players, but they are now ready to make progress on outgoings, with the Frenchman not in Xavi’s plans.
The centre-back spent last season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur, but a permanent deal with the English club could not be agreed this summer, and he could now follow Franck Kessie from Barcelona to the Saudi Pro-League.
A report from SPORT has claimed that a meeting is scheduled with Al-Nasr tomorrow to advance talks over a transfer, which could see his £145k-per-week wages removed from the salary bill.
A failure to negotiate a deal with Tottenham, who wanted the defender with a minimal transfer fee, whilst Barcelona held out for more, has run the risk of Lenglet remaining beyond the transfer deadline, so they will hope that a deal can be found with the Saudi Arabian club.
Time to go
Lenglet is just one of a number of players Barcelona have failed to shift to ease the pressure on their wage bill, and he, alongside a few others, have no chance of featuring for the first team this season.
Sergino Dest is another who Barcelona need to find a buyer for, and Sergi Roberto could be another one that the club will happily let leave.
Barcelona need to make further progress with their outgoings, and it is clear that Lenglet has no future at the club. Although he performed fairly well in his first season, he has been an underwhelming signing overall, and is not at the level that Xavi wants in his side.
Lenglet made 160 appearances for the club overall, and the former France international now looks set to move to Saudi Arabia, signalling an end to his time in La Liga, having joined Barcelona from Sevilla in 2018.