Barcelona pass up chance to sign Serie A forward who is close to completing €50 million Turkey move

Barcelona pass up chance to sign Serie A forward who is close to completing €50 million Turkey move FC Barcelona, and Joan Laporta in particular, have a great relationship with super-agent Jorge Mendes, which means a number of his clients are offered to the Catalan club. Among the many Mendes clients offered to Barça this summer, one of them is AC Milan star Rafael Leao. While the Portuguese is not directly represented by Mendes, he has been offered to the Blaugrana on a number of occasions, including this summer . However, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport , the Catalan club have chosen not to pursue a move for the Portuguese star this summer. Mendes tried to present Leao to both Barcelona and Manchester United, but neither club decided to move forward with a deal. He is now closing in on a €50 million deal to join Turkish side Fenerbahce. Barcelona were not convinced Barcelona were offered chance to sign Leao. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images) It does seem like Barcelona were comfortable looking elsewhere rather than committing significant resources to Leao. The deal being discussed with Fenerbahce would include a €50 million transfer fee and a salary package worth €8 million per season in guaranteed wages, plus performance-related bonuses. For the Blaugrana , those financial figures are likely to have played an important role. Even if Leao is a player with undeniable quality, the club continue to operate with strict financial considerations when planning the squad. Deco and Flick appear to have other priorities Passing on Leao does not necessarily reflect a lack of appreciation for his talent. Instead, it may indicate that Deco and Hansi Flick have different priorities for strengthening the attack. The club have already signed Karim Adeyemi and Anthony Gordon, who add enough attacking firepower and the quality that Hansi Flick needs off the ball. Barcelona have signed Adeyemi. (Photo courtesy: FC Barcelona official website) Barcelona’s recruitment in recent windows has focused on finding players who fit the tactical structure while remaining financially sustainable. Leao is capable of changing matches with his pace and dribbling, but consistency and a lack of off-the-ball work have often been part of the discussion around his performances. All things considered, this is a very sensible decision for Barcelona. The last thing the club need is a talented player who might not be a great stylistic fit. That said, it comes as quite a surprise that there are not more clubs queuing up to sign the Portuguese forward from Milan. It remains to be seen whether he secures his move to Fenerbahce and how his career progresses.