5 players who need to leave Barcelona to progress

Not everyone fits in at Barcelona, and right now there are several players on borrowed time at the club. Over the last couple of seasons, there have been a few more questionable signings than usual as the much-maligned board and transfer committee have spent loosely as opposed to wisely.

Particularly concerning have been the deals done in and around the recent transfer ban that the club were slapped with. Even now Barca seem to lack direction when it comes to nailing down good deals and it has meant they've been left with a squad lacking in key areas - but unnecessarily full in others.

There are quite a few players on the wage bill that need a change of scenery and a case for a transfer away could be made for. Here are the five that might well be closer to the exit door than most and need a move sooner rather than later - wherever that may be.

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#5 Andre Gomes

The biggest flop of recent years at Barcelona, and the biggest symbol of their inability to operative intelligently in the transfer market. Andre Gomes seemed to arrive at the club unnecessarily, as there was no great desire for a player of his skill set- and at Valencia, he’d only had two years with mixed results.

Barça opted to hand over €35 million, plus €20 million in add-ons, a fee that seemed extremely excessive for a player they didn’t truly need. There’s also a clause included within the deal stating that should Gomes win the Ballon d’Or, Valencia would be due extra money. While the likelihood of that happening is unlikely, the fact that such a clause was included makes this deal even more ludicrous.

The Portuguese has suffered immeasurably since joining the club. First, with Luis Enrique, he was unable to hold down a regular, consistent position as he was regularly shuffled around and more often than not away from his comfort zone. At Valencia, he was a key player, able to conclude attacks and drive the team on. He stood out. At Barça, however, his influence was minimised and acclimatising to that has been difficult.

He’s seemed anxious ever since arriving, and this has continued with new coach Ernesto Valverde who clearly has little time for the player. A move to Spurs nearly transpired in the summer but ultimately Gomes ended up remaining in Catalunya - for how long who knows. What is certain is that the 24-year-old needs a move away perhaps more than any other Barça player. There is a good player there but Gomes needs to remind many people he’s exactly that.

#4 Rafinha

Rafinha

Rafinha’s case for remaining at Barcelona took an interesting, unfortunate twist lately with his horrific injury. Back in April he picked up a knee injury against Granada, and was set to be missing for up to four months. A setback, however, saw the player require surgery and add an extra period of time out for the unlucky player. Now, with the no set return date and a contract winding down, Rafinha’s future is anything but clear.

After a successful loan spell at Celta Vigo, it was expected that Rafinha would flourish at Barcelona having shown his ability to learn and work hard while in Galician. Luis Enrique, who had coached the player while at Celta, was the new Barça boss and it seemed Rafinha being one of his favourites might well be catapulted to the front of Barça’s first team.

Opportunities were slim however, when Rafinha did come into the team he impressed and offered a different outlet in midfield, just sitting behind the attack. Also operating from the right, Rafinha has the ability to drive inside and dribble against opponents.

Injuries and a lack of opportunities have conspired against the Brazilian however, and it now appears not only his time at Barça but general career is on a knife-edge. His father Mazhino recently stated that Rafinha harboured ambitions of feating for Brazil at the World Cup but with that just around the corner the chances are growing slimmer by the day.

A boost could potentially be to leave in January, and with that in mind, Rafinha might be able to get the minutes he desires to recover from the injury and generally progress as a player.

#3 Arda Turan

Arda Turan

Arda Turan was signed by Barcelona to add some grit and much-needed character to a team that had become shallow and weak. Arda’s performances were vital in Atletico Madrid’s rise up the ladder to the elite, and Barça saw something missing in their own setup that Arda had in abundance.

Things haven’t quite worked out, however, and after waiting on a transfer ban to be lifted they have still yet to see the vision of Arda that battled away for Atleti. The player has been besieged with injuries and an inability to feature consistently, instead of becoming a mere backup player and a weak one at that. The fire in the belly of the Turk has diminished somewhat and there has been no real role for him at Barça.

The Turkish star has yet to play a single minute for the club this season, and a decision to turn down a move away in the summer looks slightly foolish right now. Barça paid €34 million for the attacking midfielder in 2015 and it has been yet another stick to beat the club with when it comes to the transfer dealings.

#2 Paco Alcacer

Alcacer

Along with Andre Gomes, it was a double deal from Valencia to forget when Paco Alcacer arrived at the club. After emerging from Valencia’s youth setup and progressing in the first team, Barça deemed it the right time to bring the striker to the club. The idea was he would add competition in attacking areas for Barça and potentially work his way into the first team. That now looks near impossible for Alcacer, who has failed at the task of becoming a key backup player.

His search for a first goal for the club became something of a running joke and even after just a season, it seemed his time was up at Barça. He remains with the club, though talk of a January exit persists.

Alcacer is an interesting striker because he’s hardly clinical, but instead, he looks to grind down opponents and use his movement on the field to create problems for opponents. He hasn’t done any of that at Barça however and his team is evidently up, as Barça will look to write-off a heavy proportion of the €30 million they handed over to Valencia for a player also handed a five-year deal.

#1 Sergi Samper

Samper

Often labelled the golden boy of La Masia, Sergi Samper can perhaps be seen as more of an example of how things have gone in the most famous youth academy in the world - as opposed to a positive symbol. Samper has cut one of the most divisive figures at the club in recent years, as his inability to break into the first team has confused as many as it has not surprised.

Samper is a talented player, no doubt, with a unique array of abilities, but at times his level can be exaggerated by La Masia flag bearers desperate for a success story for a perceived one of their own. The other side of the argument is that Samper simply isn’t that good, and hasn’t worked hard enough to improve his game or shown the application required to move on to the next level.

A loan to Granada was weak, with Samper not exactly fitting into their style of play as the Andalucian club were relegated from LaLiga. Samper didn’t help himself despite this misfortune and instead showed little in the way of character to elevate himself from a tough situation. Now at Las Palmas, there is a danger of similar happening again, with Samper appearing to be on the periphery at the struggling team from the Canary Islands.

In truth, leaving the goldfish bowl of Barça altogether and severing all ties might be the best option for the player. Doing that could see Samper toughen up and develop into a real player - as opposed to one with little substance.