Barcelona are back to square one with the cases of Miralem Pjanic and Clement Lenglet. The pair are both slated for an exit this summer as Barcelona attempt to lighten their wage bill.
Both had reportedly been the subject of interest from Olympique Marseille in France, who are managed Jorge Sampaoli.
The Argentine manager crossed paths with Lenglet at Sevilla and a deal would have suited both parties, but report from RMC in France says that L’OM have ruled themselves out of transfer for the defender. Upon finding out that Lenglet brings in €6m in annual salary, conversations with Marseille cooled.
🚨 El traspaso de Lenglet al Olympique de Marsella está estancado. No pueden pagarle el salario requerido. (RMC)
— Juan Luis Medina (@medinafut) June 20, 2022
Pjanic, who spent last season on loan at Besiktas, has suffered a tricky spell at Barcelona. Following near isolation from the team by Ronald Koeman, last season he struggled to hit his previous heights in Istanbul.
It had been suggested that Marseille was a potential destination for Pjanic, but Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has shut down those rumours.
There are currently no talks between Olympique Marseille and Barcelona for Miralem Pjanić, despite rumours. He’s not a target for OM. ❌🇧🇦 #OM
OM board now working on Torino’s loan proposal for Luis Henrique, still waiting for player’s final decision.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 22, 2022
It’s likely that Pjanic’s salary was also a sticking point, if there ever was an interest. Once again the legacy of former Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu is continuing to hinder the club, with many players holding above market value contracts. If the Blaugrana are to arm their side with quality this summer, the exits will be crucial to determining their spending power.
