Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool ‘speak’ to Barcelona starlet’s agent
Barcelona have offered young midfielder Ilaix Moriba to multiple clubs this summer with his contract coming to an end, according to reports.
The former Spain under-17 international is out of contract at the end of June 2022 and could reportedly be sold this summer if negotiations do not result in a deal.
Barca may have tied him down to a new contract by now if it wasn’t for certain stipulations with one report back in June saying the Catalan giants ‘baulked’ at his excessive contract demands.
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Moriba has his choice of suitors if he chooses to leave Barcelona with a free transfer for the 18-year-old appealing to a number of clubs.
The La Liga outfit – who lost Lionel Messi to Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer this summer – are still hoping to persuade him to sign a new deal but they worry he has had his head turned by other clubs.
And now 90min claim that ‘all of the traditional big six’ in the Premier League have been ‘offered his services’ with Barcelona ‘fearing they may need to find a buyer before he leaves for free next summer’.
Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United ‘have held talks over signing the talented teenager’, while Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool ‘have all spoken to Ilaix’s representatives’.
As far as other Premier League clubs are concerned, West Ham, Leicester, Wolves and Everton have also been ‘offered’ the Guinea-born midfielder.
An offer from Barcelona ‘remains on the table’ for Moriba and the hierarchy at the Catalan club ‘still believe they can retain the player’.
RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund, Lyon and Monaco are the other clubs in Europe that are taking an interest in signing Moriba.
Meanwhile, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed the financial situation at the club is “very worrying”.
He said on Monday: “Our salaries represent 103 per cent of the club’s total income. That’s 20-25 per cent more than our competitors.
“The first thing we had to do when we arrived was to ask for a loan of 80million euros because otherwise, we could not pay the salaries. The previous regime was full of lies.
“We also found that we had to do some urgent repairs to the Camp Nou because otherwise, it posed a risk to the attending fans. We also found out that the club had already received 50 per cent of the TV rights fees in advance.
“We found the wage policy in the form of what experts call an inverted pyramid – veterans on long contracts and youngsters on short deal. There were no wages cuts – lies.
“We have found that disproportionate payments have been made to intermediaries, not even agents.
“Barcelona has a negative net worth of 451million euros – it is a terrible inheritance. What has been happening is very worrying.
“Bartomeu’s (open) letter is an effort to justify management that is unjustifiable. It is an exercise in desperation. They are responsible for everything until March 7. They will not escape their doing.”