Barcelona want midfielder to sign, to re-open talks with new offer

Barcelona are keen to re-open talks with Ilaix Moriba in the coming days after their initial offer was turned down by the player and his representatives. The Catalan giants want the midfielder to sign a new deal as they see him as a part of the club's future.

The stand-off between Moriba and the club has seen the player being demoted to the Barcelona B team for pre-season training. The club hierarchy have decided to keep the central midfielder away from the first-team until his future is resolved.

The decision to demote Moriba was taken after the club were not properly acknowledged by the player's representatives, who dismissed Barcelona's first offer via email without putting forward a counter offer. It is believed that the player is keen to remain with the Camp Nou outfit going forward despite his current situation.

According to Spanish publication Sport, Barcelona sporting director Mateu Alemany wants to re-open fresh talks, with the club ready to make a new offer that they hope will satisfy both parties. The La Liga giants are struggling financially and have very little room to manoeuvre. They are hoping that Moriba's team understand the situation and remain flexible with regards to the offer on the table.

Moriba made 14 first-team appearances under Ronald Koeman last season and is highly regarded by the Dutch coach. The 18-year-old, whose contract expires in 2022, was expected to push on this season and nail down a regular place in the starting XI after impressing in important games last season.

Moreover, Barcelona are short of personnel in midfield after missing out on Georginio Wijnaldum, who chose to join Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the summer. With the La Liga outfit looking to move Miralem Pjanic on after he failed to impress since his move from Juventus, Moriba has a good chance of becoming a regular going into the 2021-22 campaign.