The 7 players Barcelona let go in the summer – & how they’re faring elsewhere

Barcelona have made an outstanding start to the 2024-25 campaign under new boss Hansi Flick – but will they have any regrets over the seven players they let leave the club in the summer?

After a disappointingly trophyless last season, in which they finished a distant second to Real Madrid, Barcelona responded by reshaping their squad, promoting several talented La Masia kids alongside the big-money addition of Spain’s Euro 2024-winning star Dani Olmo. They also got rid of some established first-teamers to make room for Flick’s new-look side.

We’ve checked in on the seven players they let leave in the summer and have assessed how they’re getting on elsewhere.

Sergino Dest

Followers of the United States national team were full of excitement when Barcelona signed the Ajax academy graduate back in 2020.

The full-back did end up making over 50 La Liga appearances for the Catalan club and started the 2021 Copa del Rey final victory over Athletic Bilbao – Messi’s last trophy with the club – but he never quite kicked on as hoped, while he spent the title-winning 2022-23 campaign away on an underwhelming loan at AC Milan.

After kickstarting his career back in the Netherlands with a starring role in PSV’s rampant Eredivisie title victory last term, he’s joined the club on a permanent deal – leaving Barcelona on a free before his contract was due to expire.

Barca will receive a percentage of any future transfer as part of the deal, though, so will be keeping a keen eye on how he’s doing in Rotterdam.

So far? Zero minutes. An ACL injury suffered back in April has kept him out of action and he’s not expected to return until 2025.

Marcos Alonso

After only making eight appearances in all competitions last season, the writing was always on the wall for the ex-Chelsea wingback’s future in Catalonia – and sure enough he departed when his contract expired. The 33-year-old is still in La Liga though, having joined Celta Vigo as a free agent.

Alonso’s already played almost twice as many league minutes as he did last term and has made a promising start for an exciting, front-footed Celta Vigo side that can consider themselves unfortunate to have taken zero points from top sides Athletic Bilbao, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid in recent weeks. Their performances arguably warranted much more.

Sergi Roberto

“Sergi, you are history, a symbol, and a role model for Barca,” club president Joan Laporta announced during an emotional press conference in August.

“You have been exemplary, and as president, I can only express my gratitude for your commitment. Barça is and always will be your home.”

After 14 years of service and almost 400 first-team matches, Roberto said a tearful goodbye to his boyhood club, with fellow La Masia graduates Xavi, Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique present for his goodbye. And now he’s linked up with another Barca old boy and team-mate, Cesc Fabregas, his coach at newly-promoted Como.

It’s been a mixed start for the ambitious Serie A upstarts, but they sit a relatively respectable 14th in the table and have two wins of eight so far.

Ever the utility man, Roberto has been utilised in a defensive midfield role by Fabregas, a near ever-present since getting up to speed. He assisted Gabriel Strefezza in an impressive 3-2 victory away to Atalanta last month and has shown some needle, having picked up bookings in three of his last four appearances.

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Marc Guiu

Another La Masia graduate, Guiu broke through and scored a couple of goals last term. But Barca evidently have no shortage of homegrown talent right now and allowed the forward to go to Chelsea for a small €6million fee.

The youngster made headlines for the wrong reasons with an outrageously bad sitter in Chelsea’s Europa Conference League playoff against Servette back in August.

Guiu hasn’t appeared in the Premier League since a cameo in the opening weekend defeat to Manchester City, but he is getting regular opportunities in the cup competitions. He’s made six appearances now and is still waiting to open his goalscoring account for the Blues.

Julian Araujo

Mexico international right-back joined Barca from LA Galaxy last year after a protracted transfer saga, but in the end he failed to make a single appearance for the club.

After spending his one full season on the books out on loan at Las Palmas, he was sold on to Bournemouth for €10million – netting them a profit in the process.

The 23-year-old has made six Premier League appearances to date for Andoni Iraola’s Cherries, but he’s yet to complete 90 minutes and was replaced by Adam Smith at the break in last weekend’s 2-0 victory over Arsenal.

Ilkay Gundogan

“After a meeting with [new coach] Hansi Flick and assessing the situation of the squad, he decided that he wanted to leave,” explained Laporta of the decision to allow Gundogan to return to Man City on a free transfer.

“The signing of Dani Olmo [meant] he was a player who performs a similar function to that of Gundo.

“I have heard that it is a financial decision, but no. It’s a sporting decision, by Barca, by Gundogan and by City because he has been brought back.

“At the time Gundo came without a transfer fee and it was only fair that there was no transfer fee [for City]. It has had an economic impact, but the reason has been a sporting decision.”

The experienced German hasn’t been much missed at Barcelona, while the season-ending injury suffered by Rodri means he’s set for another key role at The Etihad this season.

It’s still early in the campaign, but there’s a sense that Gundogan isn’t quite the same player that departed City last year. He doesn’t look quite as sharp as he once did, but we’re certainly not writing him off.

READ: 14 legendary players who returned to the Premier League for a second spell

Mikayil Faye

You might not be all that aware of Faye, who only spent a year at Barcelona – and only ever the B Team – but he was actually their top sale of the summer, sold on to Ligue 1 outfit Rennes for just over €10million.

He’s made the club a tidy little profit after his arrival from little-known Croatian outfit Kustosija last year, but it will be interesting to see if Barcelona come to regret signing the talented 20-year-old centre-back – who is already a full Senegal international.

The rising star has been bed in slowly for his new club, with just two starts in Ligue 1 to date. He’s yet to taste victory for Rennes, who are languishing in the bottom half of the table.