Barcelona continue to look for measures through which additional finances can be gained. At the moment, the Catalan club remain riddled with economical problems that seep into several operations. However, the avenues to generate additional income are also quite scarce for Barcelona.
One method was the sale of long-term assets, and even that has not exactly gone to plan. The deal with Libero for €40 million has already fallen apart, and Barça are in a dire position to acquire alternatives. Another option was the sale of unwanted players, including those currently out on loan.
Clement Lenglet, currently on loan at Aston Villa, is a prime example of such a hope. With reports suggesting that there was interest from Italy in the player, Barcelona got rather excited. However, while talks of getting him to break the loan deal with his current employers were gaining momentum, it now seems like an improbable ask.
As per Toni Juanmarti, the odds are currently stacked against Barcelona. The journalist believes that Lenglet’s future will remain with Aston Villa for now and thus far no other communication has been made. This will mean that Frenchman will return to FC Barcelona at the end of the season.
Milan was previously interested, but the financial demands of such an operation made it inconceivable for them. Instead, due to a lack of suitors at the moment, Lenglet’s continuity remains within the Premier League.
For Barcelona, Milan’s interest could have spelled a potential buy option at the end of the season. As for right now, there is little to no suggestion from Aston Villa that his loan could be made into a permanent deal. Moreover, his current situation is not ideal for Lenglet either.
Not really being given regular minutes, Lenglet is quite under-utilized by Unai Emery. While his team are playing high in the Premier League, Lenglet himself is not enjoying a lot of things while playing there. However, there may be hope for him as Emery now seems to be more open to rotations.
With Pau Torres rested, it becomes more possible for Lenglet to get some minutes. Moreover, it is now reported that Unai Emery does not wish to lose the player either because he understands the depth he provides. The second half of the season is now here, and letting go of Lenglet would mean losing a very important player to provide additional support.
