Raphinha shares his thoughts about Barcelona’s squad

After Barcelona destroyed Valladolid 7-0, Raphinha has given his thoughts on the Blaugrana squad.

Barcelona‘s devastating victory over the newly promoted side has moved them to the top of La Liga with a perfect record of four wins in four games.

Buoyed by the performance, Raphinha has offered his opinion on Barcelona’s squad and their failure to sign someone in the waning days of the window.

READ MORE: Laporta at fault for Barcelona’s failed Nico Williams pursuit

“The press has talked a lot in the last days about new transfers,” said the Brazilian reported Fabrizio Romano, “but I think that they have forgotten that we have a great team already.”

Raphinha then added the bold declaration on the state of the Blaugrana’s squad: “the team doesn’t need any more signings.”

Barcelona’s financial fair play woes

Raphinha’s confidence in the strength of the Blaugrana squad may feel strange given that the club failed in their attempts to sign someone.

After failing to sign Nico Williams earlier in the summer, they were linked with a shock move for Rafael Leao, as well as cheaper option for Federico Chiesa (who ended up joining Liverpool).

There were also rumours about them trying to pick-up Stefan Bajcetic (who went on loan to RB Salzburg) as emergency midfield cover, or Jonathan Tah to help out at the back.

All of those transfers ultimately failed to materialise for the same reason: Barcelona’s lack of cap space under La Liga’s Financial Fair Play rules.

However, at least in the short-term, Raphinha may well be right that Barcelona don’t need any new signings.

READ MORE: OFFICIAL: Liverpool complete Federico Chiesa transfer

Barcelona’s brilliant start to the Flick Era

Barça have started their season with a perfect four wins out of four games. They’ve clinched three 2-1 wins in difficult games away to Valencia and Rayo Vallecano and a tight home win over Athletic Club, before unleashing hell on and obliterating the weak Valladolid 7-0.

Raphinha’s hat-trick brings him to an impressive 3 goals and 2 assists. Then you have the perfectly paired Lamine Yamal (1 goal, 4 assists) and Robert Lewandowski (4 goals, 1 assist) to complete a wonderful start through four games for Barcelona’s front three.

However, the depth beyond them is shallow as a puddle. So much as Barcelona don’t need anyone in the short-term, over the course of a 60-game season, they may well end up needing the likes of Pau Victor and Ferran Torres to play better than they have so far, Ansu Fati to return from injury in good form, or Dani Rodriguez emerging from La Masia.

And that’s before you get to midfield, where Marc Bernal’s ACL rupture has left them thin as paper there as well.

So yes, Barcelona have started brilliantly and don’t need any new signings right now. But barring more La Masia miracles emerging, that is likely to change as 2024/25 wears on.