For the first time in a while, FC Barcelona seem more than prepared to splurge the cash to sign a player they want. La Blaugrana have not had that luxury in recent years without consequences, but it seems that Barça has some room to play with their budget this summer. Unfortunately, it also looks like Barcelona will not be getting their priority signing.
Initially, much of the focus from the Barça camp was towards Athletic Club’s Nico Williams. While it may have become the main priority for the Catalan giants at one point, the reality is that the player has thus far not given a definitive answer. As a result of this, La Blaugrana have shifted their attention elsewhere.
That focus is now pointed towards 26-year-old RB Leipzig star Dani Olmo. However, this interest in the Bundesliga star has been met with a lot of backlash and skepticism. According to SPORT, however, Barcelona seem to know what they are getting into should they end up acquiring Olmo.
The main reason as to why Barça is willing to invest so much into Dani Olmo is because of his versatility. For La Blaugrana, signing Olmo would mean acquiring a player who can provide elite quality across a multitude of positions ranging from playing as an attacking midfielder, a left-winger, a false 9, or even as a center-forward.
While some positions in which he commands expertise clash with the likes of Pedri, Ilkay Gundogan, and even Fermin Lopez, it is understood by the club that his versatile profile will help to eradicate this problem according to the team’s needs.
Another key factor that Barcelona looks at favorably is the goal-scoring ability of the Leipzig star. While his tally of 8 goals for his club last season is no surreal number, he showed with Spain during the European Championship that he has the ability to become lethal as per his role. This is something Barça believe will help their team as well.
Moreover, with Alejandro Balde now back and ready to blaze off across the left flank, Olmo would complement him perfectly. With his ability to play deeper and cut inside, it would allow Balde to make overlapping runs and have more space to exploit as well without having to clash with Olmo over it.
For Barcelona, the Spaniard represents the complete package. With him in the team, coupled with his competitive nature and his leadership abilities, the report suggests that he is exactly the kind of profile that the club needs. Moreover, having been trained and nurtured in La Masia, he also holds a special connection to Barcelona himself.
