Barça do not have 300 million euros in the box. That is what, today, it would cost him to face the operations of Neymar (about 180-190 in round numbers) and Lautaro Martínez (his exit clause, only during the first two weeks of July, is 111 million euros ). It is possible that the market crash due to the coronavirus crisis will lower player prices this summer. But if that happens, the same will happen with the transfer budgets of the clubs.
Although Barça is encouraged internally to sell that it is possible, a decision will have to be made. Neymar or Lautaro. Sportingly, it appears that the Argentine is more necessary for Barça. At 22 years old, the Inter striker has scored 16 goals in 31 official matches, has begged his market value (on the transfermarkt specialized website he went from 40 to 80 million euros) and has the ideal profile to be the successor de Suárez in Barcelona. His age would allow rejuvenate the squad and amortize his signing. At 33 years old, Suarez is in the final stretch of his career. Barça have been watching Lautaro Martínez live for months and the reports are positive. It is the preferred nine.
But Lautaro does not compete with anyone. Being a winger, not a striker like Lautaro, Neymar has scored 18 goals in 22 games and has provided 10 assists. Not only that. Neymar is more than a tremendous soccer player when he sets his mind to it. It is a brand and Barça needs a commercial claim that powerful for when Messi is no longer there. In addition, the arrival of Neymar would allow Luis Suárez to end his contract with Barça. The Catalan club could consider the incorporation of a level striker (Aubameyang, Ben Yedder), but at a lower price than Lautaro. In favor of Lautaro, however, it weighs that a sector of the Barça directive does not see the return of Neymar clearly. Not only for how he left and for his carousel of complaints against Barça, but for his irregular sports performance the last three seasons due to injuries. For short-termists, the signing is Neymar without conclusion. It guarantees results from the beginning and your level of motivation, in principle, would be very high. Lautaro is a project.
And then there is the Messi factor, who will not decide but with whom he will obviously consult the club as Bartomeu himself has acknowledged that he does on occasion. For asking, the six-time Ballon d'Or will love both of them. He is a friend and a lover of Neymar's football and Barça's trident is one of his best memories as a footballer, but he also closely follows Lautaro's evolution as a future for Barça.
It cannot be ruled out that the club tries both signings. That would only be possible in a very favorable scenario, if all the stars were aligned and if the operations were cheaper with players. But neither PSG nor Inter have shown signs of being in the process of accepting barter. And something else. Barça not only need to renew their top. From the top of the club insists for months on the need to sign a right back (Emerson can come if there is a good offer for Semedo); a right center (Bastoni, Christensen, Bastoni sound and the dream is still De Ligt); and a midfielder on the course (one of the favorites is Fabián, but his price at the moment does not make it easy). If Barça really wants to fix their spine, Lautaro and Neymar will not fit. And we will have to choose in that dilemma.