Barcelona planning 'two or three' new signings confirms Josep Maria Bartomeu

Barcelona will make at least two more signings in the remaining weeks of the summer transfer window, according to president Josep Maria Bartomeu. Despite the club finishing the 2016-17 campaign with just one major trophy efforts to dramatically overhaul their ageing squad have failed.

Marlon Santos and Gerard Deulofeu have arrived in two low key additions to the squad now managed by Ernesto Valverde, the highest profile arrival during the off-season after he was appointed to replace Luis Enrique. Paulinho and Nelson Semedo have been heavily linked with moves to the Nou Camp yet there is no sign of any further deals being concluded.

Bartomeu has moved to calm fears Barcelona could be left behind in the transfer market and insists sporting director Robert Fernandez and Valverde are working hard behind the scenes to make additional signings. The Barca chief has refused to name individuals but promises new faces are imminent.

"This [lack of transfers] is what really concerns the partners," he told El Peridico. "Everyone asks about it. Who will come? Who does not? Because it is what really delights. We are working quietly, with pause, there is a strategy made by Robert Fernandez, to which was added Ernesto Valverde. Two or three players will arrive from outside.

"This is very long, much to August 31. Patience. We are not new, we have a few years, this is the seventh season and we know what this is. And if we look at the newspaper library we will see that many players arrived in mid-August or even late that month. Signings will arrive when you play.

The 54-year-old added: "There are some, but I cannot announce it until it's done. Robert is very clear about what he wants. What has changed with respect to previous years is that Barcelona was going to buy and there was an availability of the other clubs to negotiate.

"I talk to Robert every day four, five or six times. And with Raul Sanllehí, who is very aware of the signings. We are very high. And yes, I am very high. This is a very important moment for the club."

Deals for Santos and Delofeu have been offset by three departures in the form of Masip, Cristian Tello and Jeremy Mathieu which takes Barcelona's net spend to €12m. Bartomeu says Barcelona have €60m to spend plus any money they recoup from player sales and hopes the club can ship out their dead wood to help finance a squad refurbishment.

"It's always the same, €60m more sales," he added. "After some years we spent more, some less. If we look at the last seasons, we will see that there is a balance, a mean. I hope so [players leave], we'll see, but it's something that belongs to Valverde and Robert, the managers did not decide that. They will decide who they think should go on the market.