Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde has been involved in all sporting decisions with general manager Pep Segura and sporting director Robert Fernandez since June.

He has been informed throughout the all the stages of negotiations during the summer, although he kept a low profile.

Valverde did not make any demands but that doesn't mean he didn't regularly give his opinion. His objective was for Neymar's departure not to reduce the team's potential, so his only request was that the necessary signings arrived to improve the team's level.

In exchange, he did not make any demands. The only request he is made is for the squad to be lightened. In the summer certain transfers and loans could not be closed, so Valverde wants that sorted in January.

CHANCES FOR YOUNGSTERS

Valverde feels the problem is that there are too many players in training, especially in midfield. It makes it impossible for him to give chances to the players he likes in the B team.

The coach would like two or three players to leave in January and has commented as much internally. Until that happens, he's unable to regularly use the young players in first team training.

However, Valverde does know it's not easy to move some players on, given the lack of interest in some cases. But he believes the club will be able to find the necessary suitors by the end of January.

All eyes or on Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen and Turkish midfielder Arda Turan, neither of whom have played in La Liga or the Champions League for the club this season. .