After yet another season in which Barcelona failed to reach the very end in the UEFA Champions League, the club are looking to reinforce further in the coming summer.

However, the club’s woes have been complicated by an inflated salary bill that has restricted them from going all out in the transfer market.

This problem is expected to continue in the coming summer, as reported by Diario SPORT.

According to the report, Barcelona’s salary expenditure is forecast to increase significantly next season, driven by a combination of renewals and potential new arrivals.

The extension of Lamine Yamal’s contract, the salary adjustment for Fermin Lopez, and the wages attached to any major summer signings are all expected to contribute to a notably higher wage bill.

Despite this, the club’s hierarchy has been communicating internally that they are working towards pulling off a large operation in the region of €80-90 million. Barcelona believe they are in a position to sign a world-class player for that figure, and the intent is firm.

Can Barcelona sign a player this summer? (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

The two priority positions are well established: A centre-back and centre-forward. In terms of the defensive reinforcement, the club are reported to already be making progress on personal terms with Alessandro Bastoni, with primary obstacle being an agreement with Inter Milan.

In attack, all signs point towards Julian Alvarez as the preferred target, provided Atletico Madrid are willing to negotiate.

Reaching the 1:1 spending rule remains a central objective for Barcelona this summer, but the club are under no illusions about what that entails.

Significant player sales will be necessary before any arrivals can be sanctioned, with the sporting management currently conducting an internal review to determine who is available for transfer.

Should the ambitious operation prove unworkable, more affordable alternatives such as Vedat Muriqi and Alexander Sorloth have already been identified as fallback options.