Barcelona

[Warman2018]

I have decided to try and get Barcelona back to being a superb team, and ship the oldies out who are earning stupid amounts of money but i am finding it so hard to do so, does anyone have any ideas how to sell these guys without upsetting the whole team?

[s0ni42]

Now you see the real life challenge. Firstly, there’s a small amount of teams that can match wages. Secondly, they are all well respected, accomplished players. It’s not easy, but from my experience you cannot achieve in a single window or even two. Gradually reduce their importance to team by playing them a little less and be opportunistic if anyone sniffs around. Some large portion of these guys will just have to ride out contract until they decide they are ready for new challenge. 

[rp1966]

This is where it gets interesting with a top club.  Winning while the team is in its prime is easy but, as in real life, the real challenge comes when it's time to turn things over to a new generation - or to build the squad that can maintain the expected success while transitioning to the new generation.

 

[Lord Rowell]

I'm doing this right now and facing this situation of impending doom with Alba, Pique, Busquets.

I'm 2nd season in. Messi is in final year of contract anyway (my DoF got him to agree to a lower wage!). But tbh right now he's still doing the business for me so I may give him another year.

My finances are fine, so my approach here will be not to seek confrontation, just bring in replacements and gradually reduce playing time. They've got good personalities so maybe they'll get the hint and retire?

[isignedupfornorealreason]

Loan out the ones that won't go on the transfer list due to silly wages?

I managed to get Sanchez and Phil Jones to do this at Manchester United. If you can get 10-40% of wages paid, job done. I managed to get a loan for Jones with 40% his wages paid whether he was used or not and he ended up breaking his leg and then ankle, so all that time out 40% paid by another club. He then accepted mutual termination for 2million (or four months salary almost), which cleared him off the wage books. Sanchez stuck around to the end of his contract, whereupon he retired cos no one was interested in his awful performances.

 

Also, try your best to restructure the wages with the players you are building around. If a player hands in a transfer request, accommodate him immediately. If he needs a new challenge, don't bother trying to re-assure him, it's an easy way to list without upsetting people.