Barcelona suspect midfielder ‘waiting for Real Madrid’

Even as the Lionel Messi contract situation heads towards a resolution, Barcelona may have a new issue cropping up on the renewal front involving academy prospect Ilaix Moriba.

The 18-year-old La Masia product made his first-team debut for the Catalan giants earlier this year and soon became a regular fixture in Ronald Koeman’s side, featuring 18 times by the end of the season, in which he even managed to score a goal and create three more.

Having potentially been set for a bigger role in the upcoming campaign, Moriba now finds himself exiled from pre-season training with the senior squad due to the situation surrounding his contract.

Moriba has entered the final year of his existing deal with Barcelona and has, so far, refused to put pen to paper on new terms offered by the club. With there being a standoff in negotiations, the Blaugrana are now suspecting that there may be external factors behind the teenager’s stance.

Indeed, El Transistor is claiming that the Catalans are of the belief that Moriba may be awaiting an offer from arch-rivals Real Madrid, which could be the reason for him declining their offer. It was recently reported that Real Madrid are keeping a close eye on the situation surrounding Moriba.

The Catalans are not ruling out the possibility of the youngster having been tapped up by other clubs either, with as many as three Premier League clubs, including Manchester United, having been linked with Moriba in the recent past.

As things stand, though, Barcelona are prepared to take a firm stance on the matter and exile Moriba to the Juvenil A outfit in case he does not agree to sign the new contract offer presented. However, at the same time, the Catalan giants also run the risk of losing him on a free transfer next summer in case the status quo remains.