LaLiga 2018-19: 3 Players Barcelona could consider selling

FC Barcelona are at the top of the LaLiga at this moment with 31 points from 15 matches, and look good for a 26th title. They lead the second-placed Sevilla by 3 points, and their recent form is quite good - they have won 4 of their last 5 matches.

Barcelona have also topped their group in the Champions League comprising Inter Milan, Tottenham Hotspur and PSV Eindhoven.

However, they have had their share of problems as well, as senior players like Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez have suffered injury problems. Both are on the wrong side of 30 and are bound to have many such troubles now.

Barcelona had signed players like Arturo Vidal, Malcom and Arthur Melo at the beginning of the season to bolster their squad. They might still sign a few more players in the upcoming January transfer window, and striker Alvaro Morata has already been linked to them.

However, Barcelona also need to have another look at their squad, as they would have to create some space to bring in the new players. They could try to sell some players in the upcoming transfer window, as that would provide them with both transfer money and space.

Here, we take a look at three players who Barcelona can afford to let go:

1. Thomas Vermaelen

The 33-year-old defender has played for Barcelona in patches only, and has spent a season with Valencia on loan. With centre-backs like Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti and Clement Lenglet regularly starting for Barca, they hardly need the services of Vermaelen now.

Moreover, the Belgian is on the wrong side of 30, and has become considerably slower now.

Vermaelen started for Belgium in the last World Cup and still continues to earn international caps. However, he has played in only five matches for Barcelona in four months this season. In all, he has played only 46 matches for Barca since he was signed in 2014.

Therefore, Vermalelen could be easily sold to some other LaLiga or EPL club. He is still a competent defender with very good positional sense and tackling abilities, and would definitely attract attention from other clubs.

This could be a good opportunity for Barcelona to offload him and lighten their squad a bit.

2. Denis Suarez

The 24-year-old Spanish forward is another Barca player who has hardly got a start this season. He was signed by Barcelona in 2016 but has played in only 68 matches for them since then.

Suarez has already been linked to clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea, and could have a meaningful career in England. He has played for the Barcelona B team in the past, and was on loan to Sevilla too.

Suarez is a very skillful player, but very few players in the world actually have the ability to break into a Barca team comprising Messi, Luis Suarez, Coutinho and Dembele. Suarez has played in only five matches this season and scored two goals. He has appeared in big Champions League or LaLiga matches mostly as a substitute.

It is time for Barca to sell him and sign some other young forward in his place. It won't be surprising at all if Suarez heads for some other club in January itself.

3. Munir El Haddadi

The 23-year-old Spanish forward has also warmed the bench regularly for Barca in recent times. With young forwards like Coutinho, Dembele and Rafinha finding their places in the starting line-up, Munir’s chances of becoming a regular Barca starter are getting bleaker by the day.

Munir has spent two seasons on loan with Valencia and Alaves, and we can't rule out him being sold to some other club soon.

Munir was signed by Barca in 2014 and has played in only 56 matches for them since then. He has scored 12 goals in that time, and regularly finds himself playing second fiddle to his more illustrious teammates.

Therefore, it would not be a bad idea to sell him in order to accommodate a prospective big signing like that of Morata. Munir is still very young and could find a good club in Spain or England easily. However, he would have to grow stronger physically in order to cope in a more physical league like the EPL.