Although FC Barcelona have gotten over most of these issues now, one of the problems that the club faced in the last few years was the difficulties they faced when parting ways with players who were no longer playing at their best level despite being on exorbitant salaries.
One such player was Clement Lenglet, who is still actually owned by the Blaugranes, despite not having played for them for more than two years now. The Catalans have been trying their best to find a permanent new destination for him but as no suitable offers have come in, they have had to suffice by letting him leave for loan.
After spending the last two years on loan in the Premier League, the defender is now playing in La Liga with Atletico Madrid. He has actually found his form under Diego Simeone and is proving to be an important part of the Colchoneros’ backline, having made 13 appearances and accumulated more than 1000 minutes on the pitch.
Thus, the Rojiblancos are looking to sign him permanently at the end of this season, but according to Fichajes, Barcelona have already made it clear that they will have to pay around €15-20 million for the French defender.
The Blaugranes are still looking for more income to get back to the 1:1 status and make signings in the transfer market in a normal way. Thus, they will be looking forward to such an operation, as in addition to bringing in some transfer fee, this move can also rid them of the Frenchman’s wages for good.
Meanwhile, Lenglet can also be a cost-effective option for Atletico Madrid going forward, especially keeping in view the decline in Axel Witsel’s performances.
However, whether this operation actually materializes will depend on Atletico Madrid’s willingness to meet Barcelona’s financial demands and it remains to be seen where Lenglet will be playing next season.
