Reports: Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman decides to sell Junior Firpo in January

Barcelona have had a tricky start to the season and fans are hoping that the club will sign some players in the January transfer window. However, reports from Mundo Deportivo claim that the Catalan giants will first have to sell players before they make any additions to the squad.

According to the report, Ronald Koeman has decided to offload talented full-back Junior Firpo, with Italian side Inter Milan interested in signing him. Firpo was initially bought to provide competition for left-back Jordi Alba.

The Dominican born Spanish footballer, however, has not kicked on and struggled for game time under Koeman. Barcelona have been linked with moves for Memphis Depay and Eric Garcia in the January transfer window and selling Firpo could well free up some transfer funds.

🚨📝 Barcelona is working on the exit of Junior Firpo in January. This option that is seen as the most feasible and Inter Milan is interested. The Blaugrana club needs to enter to face the immediate signings of Depay and Eric García.[@gbsans] pic.twitter.com/PYZHRArHf1

— Managing Barça (@ManagingBarca) November 10, 2020

Inter Milan the most likely destination for Barcelona's Junior Firpo

Junior Firpo

Inter Milan were reportedly interested in signing Firpo last summer, but a move failed to materialize in the previous transfer window. With Firpo struggling to get regular minutes at Barcelona, a transfer could make sense for all the parties involved.

While Inter do have the likes of Aleksandar Kolarov and Ashley Young as full-backs in their squads, both of them are aging and Firpo could prove to be a long-term alternative.

The report from Mundo Deportivo also stated that Antonio Conte's first-choice target was Chelsea's Emerson Palmieri, but with the English club refusing to negotiate his transfer, Firpo could very well be on his way to Inter in January.

📊 Sergiño Dest has played 216 minutes as a left-back (he normally plays right-back) this season. Junior Firpo, who was supposed to be Jordi Alba's competition, has only played 29 minutes [md] pic.twitter.com/Azu7NDNVxh

— FCBarcelonaFl 🏆 (@FCBarcelonaFl) November 3, 2020

Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman has preferred to play the versatile USA international Sergino Dest instead of Firpo. The Dutch coach is trying to mould Barcelona into his style of play and there will most probably be a raft of changes in the Barca squad in the coming transfer windows.

While the injection of new blood will definitely help, Barcelona will also have to sell the deadwood and reduce their inflated wage bill. The likes of Memphis Depay, Eric Garcia and even Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez have been heavily linked with the Catalan giants.

With Lionel Messi looking disinterested, Antoine Griezmann struggling, and Ansu Fati's unfortunate injury, Koeman will have a lot of thinking to do before he decides to sell or buy players in the January transfer window.

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