What happens next with Mascherano, Vermaelen, Masip and Douglas?

What happens next with Mascherano, Vermaelen, Masip and Douglas?

Barcelona have four players with uncertain futures. Two of them, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Masip, are likely to continue; the other two, Thomas Vermaelen and Douglas Pereira, will leave the club if Robert Fernandez can facilitate their departures. 

Robert is working on moving players on as well as bringing players in. Four players are already planning for life away from Camp Nou (Bartra, Alves, Sandro and Adriano), while the situation with the other four players is as follows: 

JAVIER MASCHERANO

The 'Jefecito' remains valued in the dressing room for his quality, character and tactical intelligence. And the statistics confirm that no other defender played as much as him under Luis Enrique last season. Robert has already said he won’t leave, but the Argentine international has created doubts over his future. Away from his desire to play in midfield, there are problems with taxes and a suspended jail sentence hanging over him. It’s impossible to imagine a Barça without Mascherano, though, and he’s said he won’t force an exit. The club are looking for a new centre-back, however, because he will turn 32 this summer and, at the end of the day, he is a converted midfielder. His contract runs until 2018 and his release clause is 100 million euros. He’s more than paid off the 20 million euros he cost in 2010 and his current value is around 15 million euros.  

THOMAS VERMAELEN

The Belgian defender is one of the big disappointments of the last two seasons. The centre-back position at Barça is complicated and it’s gobbled up many players - both signings and La Masia graduates. As for Vermaelen, the former Arsenal man has suffered due to injuries. Things haven’t gone well for him. However, despite his fitness problems, he still counts on interest from clubs such as Liverpool, West Ham and Benfica. He has a contract until 2019 and an 80 million euro release clause. Barça paid 19 million euros for him but his current value, according to Transfermarkt, is more like four million euros. 

DOUGLAS PEREIRA 

Barça’s signing of the Brazilian is one of the club's stranger pieces of business in recent transfer windows. He joined in a surprising move from Sao Paulo two years ago for four million euros, with two more in variables. He was said to be Dani Alves’ replacement at right-back, but he’s spent his time at the club either injured or on the bench. He has a contract until 2019 and his release clause is 30 million euros - it could have risen to 60 million euros if he’d played more games. He’s hardly played, though. Transfermarkt attribute him a market value of one million euros. Robert explained recently that he is looking for a club where Douglas can get minutes.  

JORDI MASIP 

The third choice goalkeeper in the squad has always been valued by Luis Enrique. Despite being used infrequently, in the odd Copa del Rey game, his role is secondary to Claudio Bravo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The club don’t plan to get rid of a goalkeeper who’s is performing his role as he should and he’s confirmed he wants to continue at Barça. The problem is the lack of minutes is putting the brakes on his progression. His release clause his 35 million euros and his contract runs for one more year, until 2017. His market value is one million euros.