Barcelona midfielder Dani Olmo will miss Saturday’s La Liga against Leganes due to rehabilitation, following a bitter registration row in the past that generated rumors of potential transfers to Manchester United and Manchester City.
Barcelona recently secured a court victory to have Olmo and teammate Pau Victor be retained on the register after La Liga first de-registered them last month over suspected failure to comply with deadlines in salary.
La Liga has since, however, appealed the ruling, rekindling tension between the club and the league.
Manager Hansi Flick confirmed Olmo’s non-participation, stating, “He won’t play. He’ll remain here and won’t travel. It’s better for him to remain here and train.”
The 25-year-old playmaker, who has been a first-team regular at Barcelona since returning from RB Leipzig, has been the subject of transfer rumors, particularly following his agent, Andy Bara, being spotted in Manchester in December.
Despite the rumors, Barcelona has strongly denied any talks with other clubs, stating that Dani Olmo is completely committed to the club.
In January, Barcelona dismissed United rumors, citing Olmo’s desire to stay at Camp Nou.
“Dani is a Barcelona player and wants to be a Barcelona player. We are not negotiating with any club.”
He also expressed confidence in president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco in resolving the registration issues, referring to Barcelona as Olmo’s first and last option.
The drama is a result of Barcelona’s financial woes that compelled short-term squad registrations over the summer following wage reductions to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.
Although the club has tied up Olmo’s short-term future, La Liga’s appeal leaves things in the air.
For the time being, Barcelona fans can sigh in relief as Olmo is still set on returning to action—but the ongoing legal and financial battles leave this drama potentially open-ended.
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