BARÇA'S HOPE: A former La Masia graduate could be on the move very soon
After a disappointing season, one of the best prospects to come out of La Masia could move, and his former club is happy about it
There are those who put up the argument that modern football may be too youth obsessed. While players used to stay at their youth clubs until they were 21 or 22, now days young stars are getting moves at 18 or 19, if not younger. Whether it's a good thing or not that players so young have such control over their careers, sometimes it looks like it does more harm than good, and former Barcelona prodigy Ilaix Moriba could be an example.
Ilaix Moriba was one of the best prospects in La Masía, but his career could be going off the rails
Moriba broke out for Barcelona during the 2020-21, one of the few bright lights in the midst of the disaster that was the Ronald Koeman era at Barça. However, it seems like all that praise went a bit to his head. The Blaugranas sold him with just a single year remaining in his contract following what the club felt were unjustified wage demands asked by the player to renovate his contract with the club. Many clubs,including Real Madrid, readied their checks to make a bid.
However, it was RB Leipzing, a club famed for their good eye for youngsters swooped in and seemed to sign the deal of the summer when they poached him from Barcelona for just 16 million euros. Yet, it seems like the were off the mark with this one. After playing just 30 minutes of Bundesliga football, Moriba was loaned out back to Spain, playing for Valencia for the remainder of last season.
Unable to really impress, now he returns to the German club and the word is that Moriba is eager to leave once again. On their part, Leipzig are open to sell short on their investment of last year, as they do not see how Moriba could fit into their plans.
A rare sight, Moriba with the RB Leipzig shirt
For as little as 18 million euros, the player who was one of the top prospects in Europe could move to his fourth club in just four years as a professional football player. According to sports site Foot Mercato, the main interested party would be Ajax, who look at Moriba as a potential replacement for the departing Ryan Gravenberch.
For their part, Barcelona see this with good eyes. They retained 10% of Ilaix Moriba's sale value when he departed for RB Leipzing, meaning any sale the German club does will add something to their ever weakened transfers budget.
Continue reading: INCREDIBLE: Chelsea target now set for Barça... if they can afford it
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