The luxury of being able to sign anyone is not something that Barcelona has in abundance. Their economic reality simply does not allow such a gift, and the club has had to work around it in recent summers. However, as more time has passed, the restrictions on Barcelona have decreased as well.
This relative leniency has not just magically appeared, however, and has instead required a lot of work. The Barcelona board has worked non-stop to achieve this sense of sustainability again and it has undoubtedly cost the club, especially last season.
However, with some economic strength recovered, Barcelona are hoping to sign the likes of Nico Williams and Dani Olmo. The Athletic Club star’s operation is reportedly already in an advanced stage, but Olmo’s operation could end up being accelerated as well thanks to RB Leipzig.
According to SPORT, the Bundesliga side will respect Olmo’s decision to leave Germany and join Barcelona because the club feels indebted to him. Due to this feeling, RB Leipzig will remain lenient and even accept a valuation close to the €60 million release clause for Olmo that has already expired.
This gratitude from Leipzig comes due to Olmo’s actions last summer. Despite being approached by Manchester City, arguably the most successful club in Europe in recent seasons, the Spanish star decided to stay at Leipzig and help them in a time of need.
To repay this gesture, the German club will be willing to negotiate with Barcelona without extravagant demands. Instead, they would be happy to accept a figure close to the €60 million mark as they will look to facilitate Olmo’s departure without causing too many problems.
Olmo himself, moreover, is more determined than ever before to return to Barcelona. Belonging to La Masia, this is as good a chance as any for the 26-year-old Spaniard to return to his home and serve in a leading role within the team. That has already been promised to him, and he hopes to play a crucial role for Barça.
However, the Catalan club will look to negotiate with Leipzig and get them to agree to a lower value than €60 million. The club might also propose a formula that sees a significant part of the payment arrive in variables, something that would suit both parties.
For Barcelona, paying in variables would decrease the upfront amount that they have to pay. While for RB Leipzig, these variables could end up earning them more than even €60 million if Olmo succeeds on a sporting level with La Blaugrana.
Time is still ticking, however, and Barça will need to act fast. Clubs like Manchester United seem to be serious in their pursuit of Dani Olmo, and if Barcelona are unable to finalize the signing soon it could lead to the Premier League side making a massive leap in negotiations.
