£12 million valuation stopping Barcelona from sanctioning midfielder deal

Ilaix Moriba looks increasingly likely to spend a season in the stands with Barcelona unable to find clubs to meet their valuation of the wantaway midfielder. The Catalan club are open to offers after failing to reach an agreement with the midfielder over a new deal.

The 18-year-old refused to accept the terms offered by Barcelona and after multiple meetings, the club have now given up on Moriba staying at the Camp Nou beyond his current deal, which expires in 2022. They are now ready to sell the midfielder, but will only accept an offer close to their €15- €20 million (£17.1m) valuation of the player.

According to Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Red Bull Leipzig are the only club to have thus far made a concrete offer, but they are well off Barcelona's valuation of Moriba. The German club has offered €6 million for the midfielder, which has been rejected by the La Liga club.

Barcelona will not veer from their valuation of the midfielder. The La Liga club are ready to make Moriba train with the reserves and make him watch from the stands for the entirety of the 2021-22 campaign. The club want to send a message to any young player looking to force their way out of the club after benefitting from the training received at the famed La Masia.

At the moment, it looks unlikely that Leipzig will improve their offer with the club not looking to pay over the odds for a player that will be available for free next summer. However, their reluctance could see Moriba snatched up by Premier League giants Manchester City or Chelsea.

The English giants are monitoring Moriba's contract standoff with Barcelona, but are yet to make a concrete offer for the midfielder. The two clubs prefer to sign him on a free transfer in 2022, and have already made it clear that they are ready to double any wage offer made by Barcelona.