Dani Olmo, very close to Barça: the transfer would exceed 60 million euros

Dani Olmo celebrates winning the European Championship. (Lee Smith/REUTERS)

With the season about to start, Spanish teams are finalising their signings. FC Barcelona has tried to strengthen its ranks in the summer transfer market, although it has not been able to add all the players it had on its radar. But the one who seems to be wearing the Blaugrana shirt this season is Dani Olmo.

The midfielder landed at Leipzig in 2020, after reaching an agreement with Dinamo Zagreb, but after the explosion of quality he showed during the Euro Cup, the number of clubs interested in the Spaniard increased. And in the end, the one that seems to be the one to get the ‘prize’ is Flick’s Barça.

As Fabrizio Romano confirmed on his social media, the player and team have reached a verbal agreement after the trip of Deco, the Catalan club’s sporting director, to the German city. Olmo would sign for six years, that is, until June 2030. He would arrive for 55 million euros, with the possibility of adding seven million euros more as extras.

Tweet by Fabrizio Romano. (@FabrizioRomano/X)

The athlete did not want to make clear what his future would be after the international competition. However, he opened the door to returning to Spain. Between 2007 and 2014 he was part of the lower categories of the Barcelona club, but he did not play in the First Division.

Dani Olmo’s name was one of the most talked about in the summer transfer market. Especially during the first week of August, his arrival in Spain seemed imminent. According to the newspaper Sport, Barcelona made two previous proposals, but no agreement was reached.

Dani Olmo in a match with Leipzig. (Annegret Hilse/REUTERS)

Following Deco’s trip to Germany, the fixed amount would have been raised, reducing the variables, in order to convince Leipzig. However, the Spanish club will have to define how the transfer will be paid, since the midfielder’s team had in mind to collect a large part in advance and not in instalments.

The sporting director has reportedly met with the player and his agents in a hotel in the city and, later, with members of the club. The aim is to ensure that Olmo does not have to join the Bundesliga pre-season. The Italian journalist has even stated that he is expected to land in Spain, together with Deco, on the evening of 6 August.

This news comes on the same day that Nico Williams returns to Lezama after his holidays. The left winger brought forward his return to football fields by seven days and resolved all doubts about his future. Despite speculation about a possible deal with Barça, the Pamplona native will continue next season at Athletic.

Nico Williams in the ‘La Roja’ shirt

The club has shared a video of the youngest of the Williams brothers on social media. “I’m back, really looking forward to this season. Let’s go Athletic!” said the player.

Despite being the Catalans’ priority, neither they nor PSG have been able to sign one of the stars of the Spanish national football team. Fabrizio Romano had already warned on July 26 that he would not make any move until the option of Nico Williams was completely clear.