Barcelona leave out €25m-rated youngster from pre-season duty amid contract stand-off – report – originally posted on Sportslens.com
Barcelona have yet to renew the contract of highly-rated midfielder Ilaix Moriba, reputed Spanish journalist Gerard Romero claims.
The 18-year-old is regarded as one of the best young talents from the La Masia academy, and he made his debut for the club last season.
The teenager managed just 536 minutes of playing time in the Spanish La Liga but still impressed with one goal and three assists to his name.
The midfielder’s contract with the club expires in June 2022, and the hierarchy have yet to make the breakthrough over a new long-term deal.
The Catalan giants start their pre-season campaign tomorrow, and it is reported that Moriba won’t be part of the training group.
Sportslens view:
They have already recouped around €25.7m in salaries and amortisation through the departures of five players, including Junior Firpo and Jean-Clair Todibo.
There is still plenty of work to be done to bring the wage bill within the new La Liga salary cap, and it is unsurprising that contract talks with Moriba have stalled.
His likely absence from pre-season suggests that the teenager may be eyeing a new challenge elsewhere. He won’t be short of offers this summer.
The €25m-rated youngster has been linked with several Premier League clubs over the past few months, including Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Manchester United.
Paris Saint-Germain are always on the hunt for quality talent, and they could look to exploit Barcelona’s tight financial situation by negotiating a cut-price deal.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
Go to Source
Author:Sri Aswin