It is no secret that the FC Barcelona defense has seen a significant decline in its performance this season. The backline was key for Xavi as his team won La Liga last time, but this season, the Catalans have been conceding goals at a clearly higher rate.
To mitigate this situation, the Catalans have decided to make some changes in the defense before the next season starts, and as already reported here, one of the changes planned by the club was to bring Chadi Riad back to the club at the end of the season and let one of their current center-backs leave.
Currently, Chadi Riad is on loan at Real Betis. He is playing at a very high level, and Real Betis have the option to buy him permanently for €3.5 million at the end of the season, although this amount was not made public by Barcelona when the defender left on loan.
In case Betis buy the defender at the end of the season, it was previously reported that Barcelona would then have the option to again buy him back for €7 million. The Blaugranes were reported to be planning to exercise this option even if Betis permanently bought the defender to bring him back next summer.
However, Mundo Deportivo now reports that this buyback option for Barcelona would only be available in 2025, and not in the summer of 2024. As a result, Deco and his staff will have to negotiate with Real Betis if they exercise their right to buy him at the end of the season to get him in the coming summer.
In such a scenario, FC Barcelona will either have to offer more money for Riad or can also offer the rights of some players, like Abde, who currently plays for Betis but the Catalans have 50% of his rights.
Thus, Barcelona cannot unilaterally decide to bring back the defender this summer, if Real Betis decide to buy Riad at the end of this season. If the loan year ends without the Verdiblancos signing him, the center-back will return to Barcelona.
