Former Barcelona star nears shock Camp Nou return

The winger in question flew under the radar when he left last summer, but has since delivered a strong campaign on loan, drawing attention for his pace, directness, and ability to create from the left flank.

Barcelona spotted the chance to bring him back at a relatively low effective cost thanks to a pre‑agreed clause, which makes the move look like good value in an inflated market.

The player in question is Jan Virgili, the former La Masia winger who moved to RCD Mallorca for around €4 million but has remained closely tied to Barcelona through a 40% future‑fee stake and a right of first refusal, as reported by Diario Sport.

Mallorca values him at about €30 million on paper, but Barcelona’s special arrangement means they could potentially re‑sign him for a figure closer to €12 million.

Virgili has already made 25 top‑flight appearances this season, registering six assists and showing flashes of the kind of attacking spark the club wants from a backup or rotational option on the left.

Barcelona’s interest, however, is not unanimous. The club has major doubts about his consistency, especially as they look for someone who can reliably support Raphinha rather than just offer brief moments of brilliance.

Some reports highlight that his impact in certain games starts very strong but drops off later, and questions remain about his defensive contribution to a team that often presses aggressively from the front.

That, combined with internal disagreements that surfaced before his departure last summer, has made the leadership unsure about giving him a guaranteed place in the next season’s plans.

For now, Virgili is being treated as a backup option rather than a top‑priority target, but the €12m price tag and his familiarity with the club could still push Barcelona toward a move if their preferred wide‑player deals become too expensive or complicated.