Barcelona have had further talks with young midfielder Ilaix Moriba and are now perceived as more optimistic when it comes to renewing the teenager’s contract.
llaix has entered the last 12 months of his current deal and has not yet issued an extension, despite Barcelona’s warning that he would be transferred to the reserves – or even the youth side – and have to waste the entire season if he does not renew.
Ilaix has been banished from the first team / David Ramos / Getty Images
There is great interest in Ilaix, like Chelsea and Manchester United who are regularly linked with the 18-year-old, but Barcelona do not want to let him go and are desperate to find a deal with him.
Ronald Koeman is preparing his squad to go to Germany for an off-season situation and he wants Ilaix to be part of the team, so Mundo Deportivo notes that Barcelona’s bosses have had new talks with the midfielder to try to find a deal and allow Ilaix to leave. with before the pre-season.
For the first time in several weeks, Barcelona has seen progress in the situation and the differences between the two parties are nowhere near as pronounced as not so long ago. An agreement is now considered “more than possible”.
It is unlikely that Ilaix will sign a new deal in time to go out to Germany with the team, but Barcelona have accepted it and are simply happy that they are making some kind of progress.
However, there is a suggestion that Barcelona could welcome Ilaix back to the squad even without a formal agreement, as long as things go far enough to make them confident of an agreement.
Ilaix is very appreciative of how much Barcelona do to try to keep him – the talks with his agents have been constant – but he wants to make sure there will be plenty of minutes for him next season and he will get a fair salary for a player with his ability and potential.
Barcelona is happy to keep Ilaix / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
Unfortunately, the tricky situation has had some unwanted consequences, with Ilaix on Instagram to expose the wave of racist abuse that has come his way during these contract negotiations.
He posted three colored fists in a defiant message against the abuse and shook his head as he scanned through the well in his comment section.
