Tensions between Barcelona and youth academy star Ilaix Moriba have reached new heights in recent days, as La Blaugrana is now “tired” of the teenager’s contract demands and will not move higher than their latest offer.
The 18-year-old’s current contract expires in the summer of 2022, and the Catalan giants are anxious to tie their wonderkid to a long-term contract, or risk losing him for nothing at the end of the season.
Moriba is locked in contract negotiations / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
Barça have worked hard all summer to ward off interest in Moriba and offer an attractive midfielder contract, but so far they have not been able to attract the Masia product. And according to Marca, frictions between the club and the player have reached unsustainable levels.
But what has really happened between Barça and Moriba?
A star at the youth level / Quality sports pictures / Getty Images
Barça have raised Moriba to the sought-after player he is today, and already in 2019 they decided to put their money where their mouth is. The Spanish side stumped up the most lucrative contract ever offered to a youth player in the club’s history, worth more than half a million pounds a year.
That deal is valid until the summer of 2022, which means he can become a free agent at the end of the season. Since then, it has become Barça’s priority to extend the deal.
Barça feared Madrid were planning a swoop / Angel Martinez / Getty Images
Eager to resolve the situation, Barcelona put a new contract on the table for Moriba to sign in June 2021. But since that moment, relations have disappeared and the requirements have not been met.
The midfielder and his representatives were obviously not happy with La Blaugrana’s offer and rejected the contract in the hope of getting a higher salary.
Barça were surprised by Moriba’s firm stance, as the player had grown up in the Masia academy and had been given such a historic and lucrative contract as early as 2019. They were also aware of interest around Europe, which may have caught their teenage eye.
In fact, Barcelona even feared that tough rivals Real Madrid were in some way involved in the player’s decision to reject their offer, believing that los Merengues may have tempted Moriba to end his contract and sign as a free transfer in the summer.
Barça were sure to land their man / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
As paranoia subsided, Barcelona began to grow in confidence in Moriba’s future. They became more confident that the midfielder would extend his stay at the club after having further talks with his representatives.
Coach Ronald Koeman was reluctant to take Moriba with the squad on their pre-season tour without clarity on his future and contract extension, which put pressure on his agent to agree. At this time, an extension was considered “more than possible”.
Koeman did not choose Moriba for the pre-season squad / Soccrates Images / Getty Images
As we all know, the signature never came.
Koeman has no time for players who kick up and do not give 100% to the team, and therefore he made the controversial decision to ban Moriba from the pre-season.
Although the new talks had seen the demands of the two parties diminished in difference, not enough progress had been made to convince Moriba to commit his future to the Camp Nou, and the stalemate continued.
He was left behind while his team-mates traveled to Germany for their Liga preparations, with Koeman confirming that the midfielder would not play a role in his plans until he signed a new contract.
Barça are tired of negotiating with Moriba / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
It takes us until the end of July 2021, with only 11 months left on Moriba’s contract. The latest reports from Spain claim that Barça is “tired” of the starlet’s demands and has instead offered an ultimatum: Write the contract or leave the club.
They are not willing to increase the offer presented to Moriba and have told him that they have reached the ceiling in their negotiations. If he decides not to join the deal, he will not play a role in their plans for the season and will have to leave.
Of course, Barça hope that Moriba will change his mind and decide to sign the contract, but they want him to make that decision as soon as possible, so that they can make sure to sell him during the summer, rather than losing him for free. next year.
Manchester City, Juventus and Madrid are just a handful of clubs interested in taking Barça’s jewel, and they could get the chance to buy him in the coming weeks.
