Unlike its staunch rivals, FC Barcelona entered the summer months calmly. The Barcelona coach, Josep Guardiola, pointed out the following players:

Franck Ribery

Since January, the French winger was considered the number 1 priority of the Catalan club but until a few weeks ago there were no formal offers. In March, the Bayern Munich winger went public and expressed his desire to change the air and his statements were considered a sure sign of the player’s departure. Things changed significantly once Pérez seized power in Madrid and appointed Zinedine Zidane as his adviser. The latter is seen as a key figure in bringing Ribéry closer to Madrid and away from Barcelona.

Javier Mascherano

The Argentine international is Pep Guardiola’s second option to reinforce the midfield. The hard-working Liverpool player has reportedly not settled well in England and would welcome a move to Spain. The main reason for the signing of Mascherano can be seen in the African Cup of Nations that is taking place this winter and in which Barcelona will have to do without 2 of its important players: Keita and Yaya Touré.

David Villa

The 28-year-old striker is considered a direct replacement for Samuel Eto. The Cameroonian will leave the Camp Nou after the differences with the FC Barcelona coach. The coaching staff see Villa as the best man to fit into the Barca system, as he has proven to be a good fit with the Barcelona internationals who also play for Spain: Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol and Piqué.

Although there is still a long way to go before the transfer window closes, the clubs are looking to complete their squads before the start of the pre-season games.