Marc Casado’s rise through La Masia has been one of the more encouraging stories to emerge from Barcelona’s academy in recent years.
After captaining Barcelona Atletic and earning his breakthrough into the senior side, the midfielder quickly established himself as a player capable of competing at the highest level with his work rate, tactical intelligence and composure in possession.
The 22-year-old featured regularly during his first full season in the first team and has continued to attract admiration from clubs across Europe thanks to his versatility in midfield.
Despite that promise, his role under Hansi Flick has become far less certain heading into the new campaign.
With Barcelona’s midfield options continuing to evolve, the club are now facing an important decision over one of their academy graduates.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are prepared to sell Marc Casado this summer and have placed a €40 million valuation on the midfielder.
The report claims Flick has informed the club they should listen to offers, believing he already has enough options in defensive midfield despite Frenkie de Jong’s recent injury setback.
Barcelona have reportedly already rejected one offer after it failed to meet their asking price.
Club officials believe €40 million represents fair market value given the current transfer market, where fees continue to rise across both Europe and the Saudi Pro League.
There is also another important factor behind Barcelona’s stance.
Because Casado graduated through La Masia, almost the entire transfer fee would be recorded as profit under Financial Fair Play regulations, making a sale particularly valuable from a financial perspective.
The midfielder is fully aware of the situation.
His agent, Jorge Mendes, has been in discussions with Barcelona regarding his future as speculation surrounding a possible departure continues to grow.
Interest from Saudi Arabia also remains firmly alive.
Barcelona are closely monitoring developments after seeing Saudi Pro League clubs continue to invest heavily, and Casado is among the players attracting attention.
Should an offer close to the club’s €40 million valuation arrive for a player Flick does not currently view as an automatic starter, Barcelona will have a significant decision to make before the transfer window closes.
Whether he is still wearing the Blaugrana colours when the new season begins, however, remains one of the biggest questions surrounding Barcelona’s summer business.
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