Barcelona are hoping the departure of Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann, along with the club's senior players agreeing to take pay cuts, will help them overcome their financial issues by next summer's transfer window. The La Liga club are hoping to loosen their purse strings and bring in at least two high profile signings.

The Catalan club's dire financial situation this summer saw them struggle to make new signings. Barcelona settled for three free transfers and one loan signing, while losing two key players to Paris Saint-Germain and local rivals Atletico Madrid.

The Barcelona hierarchy are confident their crippling financial issues will be sorted soon, and they will be able to enter the market and sign the top players once again. According to Spanish media outlet Mundo Deportivo, the one player they are almost certain of signing is Red Bull Leipzig star Dani Olmo.

The La Liga giants were actually keen to bring the La Masia graduate back to the Camp Nou this summer. Barcelona opened talks with Leipzig in the final days of the summer transfer window but were unable to agree a fee for the Spain international.

Olmo remains keen to return to the club where he spent seven seasons in the youth set up. The 23-year-old had agreed to the personal terms offered by Barcelona, which has given the club hope that they can secure a deal next summer.

Initially, Barcelona were planning on making a move in January, but are aware that Leipzig will not be keen to lose a key player midway through the season. The La Liga outfit are ready to wait until next summer to bring Olmo to the Catalan capital.

Olmo is not the only player on Barcelona's radar as they look to get back to competing for Europe's best players. The Camp Nou outfit's dream signing will be Erling Haaland, who looks almost certain to leave Borussia Dortmund next summer.

The Norwegian marksman is on the radar of a number of clubs across Europe including arch rivals Real Madrid, Premier League champions Manchester City, Manchester United and Bayern Munich. He has a release clause of around £65 million that will kick in next summer, making Haaland a bargain signing for one of the big clubs.

The other player Barcelona are looking to sign is Paul Pogba, who could be available on a free transfer in 2022. The Manchester United midfielder has less than a year on his current deal and is yet to commit his long-term future to the Manchester club.

Ronald Koeman
Ronald Koeman returns to the club he helped win the European Cup in 1992 Josep LAGO/AFP