Best and Worst Scenarios for Barcelona in the Rest of the Transfer Window

The transfer window closes on Thursday, and several clubs around Europe are hoping to snare at least one more big-name signing or add the depth to the squad they require to fight on all fronts.

For Barcelona, it's a little different. New boss Ernesto Valverde is searching for reinforcements to fit his tactical template, not just because he's a different face in the dugout but also because Barca have lost one of their top players in Neymar.

It has been a frustrating summer for the Blaugrana, despite signing Nelson Semedo and Paulinho, and there is much work for the board to get through before the transfer window shuts if they want to compete in both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League.

Here's a closer look at what they need to do to ensure the summer is a success overall—and what the nightmare scenarios would be otherwise. As Barca fans are hoping the worst is over with and the best is yet ahead, that's the order we'll go with for anticipating the next few days at the Camp Nou.

Worst-Case Scenarios

Where to begin? Ah, yes! An easy place: not enough replacements for Neymar.

Two names have popped up most frequently since the Brazilian's departure: Ousmane Dembele of Borussia Dortmund and Philippe Coutinho of Liverpool. Unfortunately for Barca, neither club was in a particular hurry to help the Catalan side replace Neymar, leading to bad press and a fearful fanbase.

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Now one of those can be ticked off at least, with the capture of Dembele.

The club confirmed on Friday afternoon that the France international will sign on Monday, pending a medical, in a transfer worth £96 million plus add-ons.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have already rejected multiple bids for Coutinho and released a statement saying the club's "definitive stance is that no offers for Philippe will be considered and he will remain a member of Liverpool Football Club when the summer window closes."

Goal's Melissa Reddy reported that any future bid would be met with similar disinterest, leaving Barca in the position of having no immediately obvious additions who could help fill the void left by Neymar's departure and every club in the world knowing of their need to sign someone and still having funds available.

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It's unclear what would be worse: signing nobody and being short on numbers or massively overpaying for a better-than-average player who won't fit well, won't meet the club's demands and who will have to be sold at a massive loss in a year or two.

Either way, signing Dembele alone—for all his promise and talent—isn't enough to compensate for the loss of Neymar and to close the gap to Real Madrid, who came out comfortably on top domestically and in Europe last season.

Then there's the small matter of Lionel Messi to consider.

The No. 10 has less than one year left on his contract; in early July, the club reported that Messi had agreed terms on an extended stay but had not yet signed the deal. Almost eight weeks later, there is still no signature on the dotted line.

Barcelona are clearly coming up to a period of regeneration; Messi is 30, Andres Iniesta—also with under one year left on his deal—is 33 and Gerard Pique, Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez are all 29 or 30.

How do you convince the world's greatest player that if he stays, he won't be the only one capable of performing to an elite level when other stars are departing and their replacements are of lesser repute?

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The closer it gets to winter and Messi's contract remains unsigned, the more unstable the team will become. He means everything to the side and the fans, and the ambiguity over his future is arguably worse than Neymar's departure.

Finally, losing one or two of the squad players is fine, but losing four or five from the same area of the team could be disastrous for similar reasons to finding Neymar's replacement: prices go up but the talent of targeted signings doesn't necessarily do the same, especially if they are coming in to boost numbers rather than steal a starting spot.

If the likes of Sergi Samper, Arda Turan and Rafinha or Andre Gomes leave, Barca could once again be short of bodies in midfield.

Best-Case Scenarios

Item No. 1 on the list is to ensure the money from Neymar is spent on the right replacements, simply because added quality in the attack is more likely to convince Messi that he should renew his contract.

Now that Dortmund have relented, Barcelona can turn their attention elsewhere if Liverpool don't budge on Coutinho. Angel Di Maria of Paris Saint-Germain has been suggested as one, with Lluis Miguelsanz Sport reporting a £46 million deal could go ahead, while France Football reported Chelsea's Willian is an alternative target (h/t Sport).

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The best-case scenario is Barca sign two of those four: one to join the attacking line and another to provide options both from the flank and in midfield as a creative midfielder, making Dembele and either Coutinho or Di Maria the best combinations.

One down, one to go.

Add those two signings, and suddenly Barcelona's starting XI once again looks strong, if still a little on the experienced side as both Di Maria and Paulinho are 29.

Still, it's enough to get through another year or two, and Real Madrid of all teams know how well the Argentinian can control a game in midfield and be the difference between overrunning the opposition and being overrun.

There's also some deadwood to offload.

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Thomas Vermaelen has no future in Catalonia. Nor do Douglas or Munir El Haddadi. Samper has joined Las Palmas on loan for the season, but keeping all of Rafinha, Sergi Roberto and even the disappointing Gomes would give far more flexibility and depth to Valverde in midfield. He will need it across the season given Iniesta recent injury history and the early-season tactical changes.

Finally, in the last game that Barcelona had before the transfer window shuts—Saturday's away win against Alaves in La Liga—it would have been of enormous help to the manager if one of his squad players put in a top performance, showing they were capable of helping out in a big way during 2017/18.

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Gerard Deulofeu was perhaps the best bet after a good spell against Real Betis and being given a starting role early on this season. Sergi Roberto was largely imperious in midfield against Betis but started at right-back against Alaves. Denis Suarez was given the opportunity to impress from the bench on Saturday but played as part of the front three rather than in his natural position in midfield.

With Luis Suarez out for a month, Paco Alcacer needs to find his shooting boots quickly too.

Best of all, if the signings do materialise after Barca picked up another good win to start the league season, there might be a somewhat better vibe around the club. Maybe that would even help convince Messi he should stay at the Camp Nou and get that new contract signed.

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