Dani Olmo became one of football’s hottest commodities after his exquisite display in Spain’s successful Euro campaign. The 26-year-old midfielder dazzled in his six appearances for La Roja, ending his campaign with three goals (joint top scorer) and two assists.
Out of all his suitors, the one club that’s most likely to secure his services are La Liga giants FC Barcelona.
One of the biggest clubs in the world, one would think it would be easy for the Catalan side to get any player they want—so is the trend when bigger teams strong-arm smaller clubs in negotiations.
However, the Blaugrana’s are in a different financial situation compared to, say, Real Madrid.
Since 2015, Barcelona’s finances have been in disarray from years of mismanagement and debt. That is why their current negotiation talks with RB Leipzig have stalled.
Despite the fact that the Spanish international has agreed to personal terms with his boyhood club, Leipzig are adamant that their demands be met.
Still, SBOTOP La Liga 2024 odds have Barcelona as the favourites to land Olmo should Leipzig finally accept a generous offer.
But for how long will the two sides bicker?
Olmo wants Barca move to push through
Almost every child in the world dreams of playing for a European giant. And in Dani Olmo’s case, he’d rather be in Barcelona than anywhere else in the world.
Sure, staying with a competent side like Leipzig is fine. They get to challenge for titles and feature regularly in Europe. But it will never have the allure and magic of a club the way Barcelona have.
Add to the fact that Olmo, after experiencing the glory of a Spanish triumph, would want to go home and do it at a club level.
It would also feel right to see a Spanish midfield genius gracing Camp Nou. With club legends such as Xavi, Iniesta, Ronaldinho and Sergio Busquets, to name a few, he would want his name etched beside theirs in the club’s annals for eternity.
And with Spanish teammates Gavi and Pedri, along with Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, all sidelined for an extended period of time, he’ll get a chance to show out in every opportunity he gets.
Plus, you can never beat the Spanish weather, can you?
Leipzig are firm in their demands
Barcelona have so far submitted three offers to Olmo’s employers. The first one being a transfer fee worth €40 million plus an additional €20 million in variables.
Leipzig said no.
The Catalan side then increased their initial offer to €47 million, with an additional €3 million for appearances and a further €10 million for future titles won.
Still, it’s a resounding no from RasenBallsport.
But two days ago, yet another offer was sent. This time it’s a guaranteed €55 million with an additional €7 million for add-ons.
Success! Dani Olmo has said yes! But it really isn’t all up to him, is it?
According to La Liga 2024 news, Leipzig sporting director Rouven Schroder was clear in his stance that they will not be forced to sell their best asset for anything less than what they value him.
“Dani has an incredible value for us—as a player and as a person. We are under no pressure to sell him. As things stand today, we expect Dani to return to us after his Euro vacation. Everything else remains to be seen,” he said in an interview with Sky Sports Germany.
As of writing, Olmo is enjoying his much-deserved vacation in Croatia—a place with close ties to his heart.
But even with Leipzig’s apparent decision to force Barcelona to spend more than they intend to, fans are optimistic that it will just be a matter of days before the two sides reach an agreement.
Another detail—and maybe the most vital one—that has caused an impasse between Leipzig and Barcelona is the fact that the latter want to pay the former in installments.
Going back to the Blaugrana’s initial offer of €40 million, it was reported that they would prefer to pay €10 million over four years, starting from 1 January, 2025. But Leipzig wanted a huge chunk of the cold-hard cash almost immediately—€25 million in September, then they would be alright with the rest coming in installments.
Well, with Barcelona’s dire financial state, it is obvious why they did not want to pay a large sum upfront.
But the season is fast approaching. And if they want to wrestle the title out of the Santiago Bernabeu, they might be forced to break the bank—if it’s not yet broken, that is.
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