Messi, Griezmann, Moriba: heavily indebted FC Barcelona can neither hold stars nor young talents like Leipzig’s newcomer

Leaving FC Barcelona in the direction of Leipzig: Ilaix Moriba

Copyright: imago images/Pressinphoto

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On the last day of the transfer, RB Leipzig strengthened itself with the Spaniard Ilaix Moriba. The 18-year-old comes from FC Barcelona, ​​receives a five-year contract in Leipzig until 2026 and sparked great enthusiasm among those responsible for the deal on Cottaweg. Florian Scholz, Commercial Director Sports, said: “Ilaix has been our desired solution for many months. We have thus achieved a sustainable transfer with a clear focus on our future.”

As a matter of principle, the Bundesliga club did not reveal how high the transfer fee is. The Spanish daily sports newspaper AS claims, RB Leipzig pays a basic amount of 16 million euros to the Catalans, who collect ten percent of the transfer fee if the midfielder is resold plus a further six million in bonuses.

Messi to Paris, Griezmann to Atletico

The departure of the young talent is not controversial at FC Barcelona. Ilaix Moriba, who will be presented in Leipzig on Wednesday, is a child of the famous “La Masía” junior academy, came to the club at the age of ten, went through all the “Culés” teams and joined the professional squad last season, where he had 18 appearances from coach Ronald Koeman got to prove his fitness for men.

Test passed, so Barca would have liked to extend their contract, which expires in 2022, in order to build up the academy talent over the long term as the successor to defensive midfield engine Sergio Busquets. Moriba signaled readiness, but Barca did not want to make friends with the demands. Only where there is no more money you cannot spend any. For the same reasons, the heavily indebted club (1.3 billion euros) moved icon Lionel Messi to Paris and in the evening moved striker Antoine Griezmann back to Atletico Madrid.

In Leipzig, Moriba will meet his compatriot Dani Olmo, who himself left Barcelona in his youth in order to get match practice in Zagreb as early as possible. Of course, there are other motives at work around FC Barcelona. “Sport”, Barcelona’s daily sports newspaper, commented the change in the direction of his German advisor Roger Wittmann with: “The sad departure of Moriba: When money rules”.

Emortional last greeting

It can be assumed that he receives quite a bit of wages in Leipzig. The club itself mentioned in its jubilation that the Spanish youth international, born in Conakry, Guinea, like his compatriot predecessor at RB, Naby Keita, could have moved elsewhere. Tottenham was on the teenager, AS Roma too. They are “very proud”, says Scholz, “that Ilaix decided on RB Leipzig despite the many offers from top European clubs and we were able to convince him of our path quickly.”

Moriba didn’t forget the last greeting when he said goodbye, and unlike, for example, players from RB Leipzig who recently left and left a dry “Thank you, it was nice with you”, he devoted long lines to the past few years. On Instagram he wrote: “I’m leaving a big club today that I owe a lot to. Thank you FC Barcelona for training in La Masía and for making it possible to live my dream. I came as a child and leave today as a young man who is in another Country is looking for a new challenge. I would like to thank all members of the club, all comrades, all coaches and Ronald Koeman, who helped me to my debut. (…) All memories stay in my heart forever. ” (RBlive/hen)

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