Ilaix Moriba has been left out of Barcelona’s tour before the season when the stand-off over his expiring contract drags on.
Barça have warned the high-ranking 18-year-old that he will be sent to the reserve, or even the academy, if he continues to refuse to extend his deal, even though there had been some optimism that he could still go to Germany with the rest by Ronald Koeman’s troupe.
However, the fact that he has not traveled to Germany suggests that things are not as rosy as the club might have hoped, and according to Marca, these reports of a good feeling about Ilaix’s future are very wide.
We had heard that new talks between Ilaix and Barcelona had seen the difference between the two sides shrink dramatically, but the latest report says otherwise. As the story goes, these negotiations only strengthened the distance between the two.
Barcelona and Ilaix are still “very remote” and have “strong disagreements” about an extension, and it is suggested that the main problem is the teenager’s salary demands.
Ilaix presented 18 times for Barcelona last season and increased his status as one of the most exciting young players in world football, and it is claimed that he is keen to receive financial compensation for it at a time when teams from all over Europe are willing to pay for to sign him.
Chelsea and Manchester United have long been linked with Ilaix and can undoubtedly offer him a higher salary than Barcelona, whose focus is on reducing costs this season in an attempt to write about Lionel Messi.
Moriba’s wage demands are said to be problematic / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
Barcelona have tried to reach a compromise with Ilaix but have warned him that they can not meet his current requirements, and if he does not agree to a lower salary he will not be close to the first team and can be left to rot for the next 12 months.
Talks between Barcelona and Ilaix are expected to continue in the next few days, and it is emphasized that the relationship between the two will not be broken, but there is a long way to go before this situation resolves itself.
Whether Barcelona would like to sell Ilaix later this summer is unclear, but it is hard to imagine that they will let the teenager go for free when there are plenty of sites willing to pay a not insignificant amount to sign him right now.
