Aniket Rai
Transfer News: Manchester United get Ilaix Moriba boost after contract talks with Barcelona
According to Marca English (h/t Football Transfers), Ilaix Moriba has refused to sign the new contract offered to him by Barcelona, which comes as a boost for his suitors including Manchester United.
Moriba is one of the brightest La Masia prospects in a while and broke through into the first team last season. After Barcelona missing out on Georginio Wijnaldum, it was thought that the 18-year-old will get more playing time.
But those questions have taken a backseat after his future is thrown up in the air after the latest contract talks. Barcelona are struggling financially and need to free up their wage books in order to keep Lionel Messi and register their 4 new signings.
Due to that, Moriba was offered a new contract akin to the one for Academy players with no experience. He refused it and is expected to remain firm in his stance. His current deal expires in the summer of 2022, when he can leave as a free agent. (h/t Football Transfers)
United face competition for Ilaix Moriba
Apart from United, the report mentions that Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea have also been monitoring his situation for a while. That doesn’t come as a surprise considering Moriba’s potential and age.
Born in Conakry, Guinea, Moriba can be the next big thing to come out of the academy that has produced midfielders like Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez.
If the Red Devils somehow manage to get the Spaniard to Old Trafford this summer, or even in 2022, it would be a great acquisition considering how much he would future-proof United’s midfield.
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It remains to be seen if the Catalan giants offer him a new contract and if it’s one that could clinch them Moriba’s signature; but either way, this is one transfer the club should keep on pursuing.
