January 6, 2025

First Club to Pursue Dani Olmo as Man City and Arsenal Target Free Transfer for Barcelona Star

Barcelona are still uncertain about Dani Olmo’s availability for the second half of the season, with several clubs poised to make their move for the talented star.

AC Milan have reportedly moved ahead of Arsenal and Manchester City in the race to sign Dani Olmo, aiming to secure the Barcelona star’s services.

Olmo returned to Barcelona from RB Leipzig during the summer, marking a sentimental return to the club where he spent his formative years. However, due to La Liga’s strict wage regulations, Barcelona faces the possibility of not being able to register him for the second half of the season.

While the league allows clubs to make exceptions for long-term injuries, which enabled Barcelona to register Olmo and Pau Victor during the absence of Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen, the club must now meet the necessary salary cap requirements for the remainder of the campaign. Despite their efforts, Barcelona has yet to fulfill these obligations.

Both Manchester City and Arsenal have been monitoring Olmo, hoping to capitalize on the situation with a potential free transfer. However, AC Milan has also emerged as a serious contender to make a move and are believed to be testing the waters for a possible deal.

According to CdS (via Football Espana), AC Milan’s interest in Dani Olmo stems from the understanding that the player is not rushing to leave Barcelona. Olmo, who signed a long-term contract until the summer of 2030, has impressed under manager Hansi Flick and is seen as a key figure in Barcelona’s plans.

Milan are reportedly willing to match Olmo’s Barcelona wages for a six-month deal, with the intention of allowing him to return to Barcelona in the summer. Should all go according to plan, Olmo would be expected to re-establish himself as a starter under Flick for the following season.

The Spanish playmaker enjoyed a strong first half of the season, scoring five goals in 11 La Liga appearances. He netted three times in his opening three games before a brief injury setback slowed his momentum. Additionally, Olmo marked his first Champions League goal for Barcelona in November during their victory over Brest. He was also part of Spain’s victorious squad at Euro 2024.

Barcelona have been exploring various avenues to generate funds in an effort to meet La Liga’s financial regulations and retain Dani Olmo’s services. These measures include selling VIP seats, with a reported multi-million-pound deal finalized in January.

Despite these efforts, La Liga and the Spanish FA have rejected Barcelona’s latest attempt to register Olmo and Pau Victor, leading the club to pursue legal action. The outcome of this dispute remains uncertain, with both players currently unavailable for selection.

Neither Olmo nor Victor participated in the Copa Del Rey match against UD Barbastro on Saturday. However, goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who joined the club on a free transfer earlier this season after coming out of retirement, made his debut. Robert Lewandowski netted twice in a 4-0 victory, with Eric Garcia and Pablo Torre also scoring.

Barcelona still have more than a week before their La Liga campaign resumes, providing them time to address the registration issue. However, they may be forced to go without Olmo and Victor for their upcoming Supercopa campaign in Saudi Arabia.

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