FC Barcelona is poised to part ways with a surplus star, accelerating contract termination talks to streamline their squad and finances.
FC Barcelona’s continued efforts to regain stability financially and to comply with La Liga’s Financial Fair Play regulations have resulted in the club having to make some difficult decisions regarding one of its players.
The coming 2025-26 pre-season will arrive soon, and the club is hoping to prioritize squad streamlining to help open up financial opportunities for new signings and contract renewals.
The sporting lead for the club, Deco, alongside coaching manager Hansi Flick, is working hard to solve the future of players not deemed fit for purpose, hoping to cut the wage spend of the club, and freeing up the 1:1 rule to bolster the squad’s competitiveness whilst remaining within financial limits.
The person in question is Oriol Romeu, a 33-year-old defensive midfielder, who has returned to Barcelona after a season-long loan at Girona, as reported by Diario Sport.
It is reported that the club is fast-tracking his contract until 2026, which will end the contract early, as he is not part of Flick’s plans for the squad.
The midfield region is crowded with players like Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, and Marc Casado, making his suitability redundant.
Girona, where he performed particularly well last season, seems to be the front row for signing him again, but it is likely that the mutual termination of contract is the likely route.
This would mean Romeu could join as a free agent and, surprisingly, start pre-season with Girona on July 8 and before Barcelona start training.
The strategy here is to avoid prolonged negotiations and save the financial strain, potentially in wages, to the tune of millions in financial relief to the Barcelona budget.
Although there are no firm offers yet, Romeu wants to continue playing in Spain, and that could be the catalyst to get it done quickly.
As Barcelona is ready for another season to defend their title, this also sends a signal about Barcelona’s strategy to be more fiscally responsible and winnow a squad that may be a little thick in certain areas.
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