Joao Felix, Joao Cancelo and the players Barcelona could sign after raising €50m with Ousmane Dembele sale to PSG

Barca were reportedly in for Joao Cancelo in January, but couldn't make the finances work for the outcast Manchester City full-back. Instead, Cancelo went on loan to Bayern Munich, and Barcelona played the rest of the season with Kounde at right-back. It worked out well, of course — Kounde was solid as Barca marched to the La Liga title.

Still, there's a sense that the Blaugrana could do with a more willing right-back here. Cancelo isn't exactly a typical up-and-down full-back. Rather, he's a creator, a deadly passer, someone who can cut inside and make things happen from more advanced positions. Still, he has the fundamental familiarity at the spot that Kounde simply lacks.

And while Kounde is a good centre-back who makes a solid right-back, Cancelo is a top-class option at the position. There's a clear distinction there — one, Barca would hope, for an immediate upgrade at a position of need.

Here's a surprise one. Joao Felix was impressive for spells during his loan stint at Chelsea. There were countless delightful flicks and neat turns, and one wonderful goal against West Ham, but he struggled for consistency at a club in turmoil.

That has been the story of the Portuguese for the last four years now. He was a very un-Diego Simeone signing for Atletico Madrid in 2019, and his erratic time at the Metropolitano has only proved the sceptics right. At this point, Atleti are probably willing to let him go for cheap, and a number of clubs could pounce.

Enter Barca, who Felix admitted he would love to play for. Xavi's side are far more settled than those of Chelsea and Atleti, and could certainly use another attacking player. Felix's versatility would be key, as with Dembele gone, Barca need someone who can play on the right, while they have also looked short of creativity from central midfield. Felix, in theory, could fill both needs here.

The natural worry is that Felix doesn't really have a true position — at least, not yet. But a player of his calibre on the cheap, or even on loan, is certainly worth a shot.

Here's a rumour that just won't go away. Bernardo Silva has supposedly wanted out of Man City for two years now, but has twice been convinced by Pep Guardiola to stay. It's not necessarily a difficult pitch: At City, he is guaranteed success, as well as a handsome pay check. Throw in the chance to play with Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, and it's puzzling why, exactly, he'd want to leave.

But maybe this time he will go. Silva only has two more years left on his contract, and is yet to renew — despite reportedly being given an ultimatum by the club. The whole thing could really go two ways. Silva could stay, win a lot and earn plenty too. Or he could go, join one of Europe's biggest clubs, and have the chance to be a part of an interesting project.

The issue here could be the price tag. City will likely want more than €50m (£43m/$54m), while the interest of PSG could only drive the transfer fee up. Consider it in the balance, as of now.

Less interesting, but perhaps more practical, Fresneda could be the perfect compliment to Alejandro Balde that Xavi needs. If this is to be an attacking system, a side that can hit on the break with vicious intent, then Fresneda would be an ideal addition.

The Valladolid right-back did a bit of everything last year, proving a driving force going forward and an excellent one-on-one defender when needed. He was thrust into the spotlight for shutting down Vinicius Jr in a January clash with Real Madrid and has cropped up in transfer talk ever since.

At 19, Fresneda is still young, and perhaps too raw to be an immediate starter. But with Kounde around and tactical flexibility abound, here is a player who could grow into the side, and be a top full-back in five years.

He won't ping passes like Cancelo, or carve open defences like Felix. But Fresneda is a very good right-back, with all the skills to be a great one.

Premier League fans will probably be confused with this one, and for good reason. Gio Lo Celso's impact at Tottenham has been minimal, with a handful of star showing and little else to mark his disappointing Spurs tenure.

But during his 18 months at Villarreal, Lo Celso was a very handy player for Unai Emery. Functioning as either a wide midfielder or a second striker, the Argentine served as a reliable playmaker and occasional goalscorer for an excellent counter-attacking team. That profile of footballer could be invaluable for Xavi.

There's also a deal to be made here. Spurs want to make the Clement Lenglet deal permanent after the centre-back impressed last year, while Barcelona would like Lo Celso. There could well be a way to get rid of dead weight and pay a minimal fee for an impact player. This isn't necessarily a marquee signing, but it could be a sneakily good one.

The Thomas Tuchel revolution continues at Bayern Munich. The Bavarians will hope to settle a deal for Harry Kane in the next few weeks, after meeting in person with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy on Monday, and that would leave Leroy Sane in a puzzling position.

Bayern have lots of quality in their front line, but very little clarity as to how it pieces together. Jamal Musiala and Kingsley Coman figure to be starters, though, while Kane is a lock through the middle. And with Thomas Muller and Serge Gnabry also fighting for minutes, Sane isn't guaranteed a regular role for the Bundesliga champs.

Sane exit rumours have been around for a while now after a new board took over at Bayern two months ago and made it clear that no one's position in the squad was safe. And he could bolt for Barcelona, where there is a clearer tactical fit.

Sane played for Guardiola at City, which will perennially link him to Catalunya by default. But his ability to play off the right, or even as a false nine if needed, could make him a valuable asset. Spanish publication SPORT have claimed that Sane is on the Blaugrana's shortlist, too.

A free agent Alexis Sanchez? At 34? When there's actual money to throw around? Apparently so. There have been numerous reports linking the winger to a sensational return to Barca, despite his declining legs and patchy injury record.

He was useful for Marseille last year, scoring 14 and assisting three as his team worked their way into the Ligue 1 title race. This is not a signing to be made for regular minutes, or even a perfect fit for Xavi. But if this money is to be split between numerous players — and signing bonuses, wages, and agent fees to consider — Sanchez is one of the best bargain-bin finds out there.

This could be a decent reclamation project, too. Xavi worked wonders with Andreas Christensen on a free, and revived the flailing careers of Frenkie de Jong and Dembele. Why not add another one to the list?

Many expected Gabri Veiga to be sold by now. The Celta Vigo man was one of the breakout stars of La Liga last year, and has a remarkably low release clause at just €40 million (£34.4m/$43.6m) — a bargain for a 21-year-old of his quality. His club president has already admitted that his star attacking midfielder probably won't be a part of the team year.

So, what's stopping Veiga from going? A host of clubs are reportedly interested in signing him, but Barcelona have been a constant for nearly six months now. He's an interesting one in terms of fit. Stylistically, Veiga is a driving midfielder, more Federico Valverde than Dembele. He can shoot from distance, pick a pass, or beat an opposing defender for pace. This isn't necessarily the technical winger that Xavi might want.

Still, his energy and creativity could be vital. He could be a spark plug, a player to make things happen, or change a game with a moment of magic. And Barca could pay up with a few Euros to spare, too.