Barcelona Chief Admits Club Won't Make Any Signing Without Letting Players Leave

Former Barcelona director Toni Freixa has slammed his former club's attempts to sell fans 'smoke' as he warned them big-money signings will not arrive at the Nou Camp this summer.


The Catalan giants have been linked to a number of high profile names, including Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Bernardo Silva. 


However, the LaLiga side's well-documented financial difficulties present an obstacle to getting deals over the line this summer with signings only likely to arrive if the club can offload players.


Freixa took a swipe at the club's supposed transfer plans on social media as he insisted their summer business was not feasible.


The Catalan lawyer shared a tweet with more than 56,000 followers warning them that the stars Barcelona are supposedly pursuing will not be signed.


He wrote as cited by Sports Central: 'You know that Lewandowski, or Kounde, or Raphinha, or Bernardo Silva will not come? You know, right?'


Freixa, who was one of the candidates for club president, later backed up his comment on Cadena COPE's El Partidazo as he accused the club of 'shamelessly selling fans smoke


He said: 'I don't buy the talk of Barcelona's signings. 'They are blatantly selling smoke. What they say clashes with reality and I have no choice but to warn people that this is not going to happen. 'One could come in case a player is sold. It sells much more to say that Bernardo Silva is coming. If we want to sell the bike, let's sell it, I don't buy it. 'I'm going a bit against the tide, what is convenient now at Barcelona is to generate an illusion.'


Freixa's comments were a clear dig at Barcelona president Joan Laporta's management of the club. 


Laporta has previously insisted that the Blaugrana will be able to make signings this summer.


He said via Marca: 'Soon you will have news about the economic levers. 'In principle there will be two or three deals done to give us funds, repay the debt and make investments to make our teams more competitive.'


Barcelona's financial issues are well-documented and they are subject to restrictions on spending after breaching their salary cap.


They can only reinvest in their squad a third of what they make through player sales or save in wages. 


That's despite members voting last week to free up cash by selling off a portion of the club's television and merchandising rights.


As Barcelona look to sell players to finance their summer spending, the club have slapped a £70million price tag on Manchester United target Frenkie de Jong. 


United would like to pay in the region of £60m for De Jong, with the possibility of a further £5m in add-ons, but Barcelona wish to recoup as much of the £65m they paid Ajax for the player back in 2019. 


The Catalans are reportedly blaming LaLiga's unforgiving financial rules for the fee, insisting they have little choice but to place a premium on De Jong.

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