AC Milan have attempted to beat Arsenal and Manchester City to sign Dani Olmo, it has been claimed.
Olmo joined Barcelona from RB Leipzig this summer, returning to the club where he spent time as a youngster. However, due to wage restrictions in La Liga, the Catalan club is in danger of not signing him for the second half of the season.
The restrictions include an exception for clubs that lose players to long-term injuries. This meant that Barca – despite being outside the cap – could call on Olmo and Pau Victor while they were without Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen.
They have to meet the competition requirements again for the second half of the season, and so far they have not been able to do so. City and Arsenal are both fans of Olmo and have been linked with an opportunistic move without paying a transfer fee, but Milan also appear ready to test the waters.
According to CdS (via Football Espana), Milan's offer comes amid recognition that Olmo is in no rush to leave Barcelona. He signed a contract until the summer of 2030 and impressed under Hansi Flick.
Milan are said to be willing to match his Barca wages on a six-month contract. This move would see him return to Catalonia in the summer and – if all goes well – return to the starting line-up under Flick next season.
Olmo scored five times in 11 La Liga appearances in the first half of the season, including three in his first three games before injury interrupted his fast start. The playmaker – part of the Spanish squad that won Euro 2024 – also scored his first Champions League goal for Barcelona in a victory over Brest in November.
Barcelona have tried to raise money from multiple sources to comply with La Liga rules and continue to rely on Olmo. Measures include the sale of VIP seats, with a multi-million pound deal reportedly struck in January
La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation are said to have jointly rejected Barca's latest bid to register Olmo and Pau Victor, prompting legal action from the club. It remains to be seen whether Flick's team will get their way.
Neither player was involved in Saturday's Copa Del Rey match against UD Barbastro, although goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny – who joined for free after retiring earlier this season – made his debut. Robert Lewandowski scored twice in a 4-0 win against their lower league opponents, with Eric Garcia and Pablo Torre also on target.
Flick's team still have over a week to go before they resume their La Liga season, giving them time to continue their action against Olmo and Pau Victor. However, they may have to make do without the pair in the meantime for their Supercopa campaign in Saudi Arabia.
Comments