Barcelona are allegedly open to allowing two of their former Premier League players depart the club in January.
Despite a number of recent blips, the Catalan giants can be delighted with their start to life under Hansi Flick.
Benefitting from Real Madrid's defeat at Athletic Bilbao in midweek, Barcelona now sit four points clear at the top of the La Liga table.
Nevertheless, there is an ongoing desire to make improvements to the squad, something that will only be possible if club officials are able to continue to reduce their outgoings in the short and long term.
According to Sport, Flick is happy for two of his squad members to move onto pastures new as soon as the next transfer window.
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Barcelona to reduce squad?
Flick would seemingly be prepared to allow each of Ansu Fati and Eric Garcia to leave Camp Nou, either on a permanent or temporary basis.
Both players have barely been used in Spain's top flight this term, accumulating just four starts between them during Barcelona's 16 matches.
However, Flick has already used as many as 25 players in the league, highlighting that he could operate with a reduced squad once a number of players have returned from injury.
That said, it is claimed that neither Fati or Garcia would necessarily jump at the opportunity to leave Barcelona at the midway point of the season.
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Could they take a change in stance?
Of the pair, Garcia will be particularly disappointed with how a return to life at Barcelona has gone having starred for Girona in 2023-24.
Just 456 minutes of football have been accumulated on the back of having scored five times in 30 starts for last season's surprise package.
Fati, meanwhile, has seen his career come to a complete standstill, his loan at Brighton & Hove Albion during the previous campaign reading three starts and 16 substitute outings.
With just 158 minutes being spent on the pitch under Flick, the former expected heir to Lionel Messi's throne will have to consider alternatives.
Darren Plant
