Barcelona midfielder will not travel to Italy for friendly as Saudi Arabia move nears

Barcelona midfielder will not travel to Italy for friendly as Saudi Arabia move nears Barcelona’s summer clear-out has gathered pace. With Deco leading the club’s transfer strategy, the Blaugrana are accelerating efforts to find new destinations for players who are no longer considered key parts of Hansi Flick’s plans. After Ronald Araujo’s loan move to Liverpool moved to the brink of completion, Marc Casado now appears closer than ever to leaving Barcelona, according to SPORT . The midfielder is set to be omitted from the squad travelling to Udine for tonight’s pre-season triangular tournament against Udinese and Nottingham Forest. Casado stays behind Although Casado reported to the Ciutat Esportiva this morning as normal, he left the training complex before Barcelona’s squad departed for Italy. It has been well-established that the Blaugrana are actively looking to sell the academy graduate, believing his departure could generate a significant transfer fee during the final weeks of the window. Casado on his way out. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) His absence from the travelling squad only adds further weight to those expectations. Saudi Arabia leading the race At present, Saudi Arabia appears to be Casado’s most likely destination. Both Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli are interested in signing the 22-year-old, with Barcelona hopeful that competition between the two clubs could drive up the final fee. The Catalan club are targeting a transfer worth around €40 million and remain confident they can reach that figure before the transfer window closes. A change of heart Initially, Casado was reluctant to move to Saudi Arabia at this stage of his career. The midfielder believed he was capable of fighting for regular minutes either at Barcelona or at another top European club. However, his thinking has changed in recent days. Beyond the financial package on offer, Casado now feels he will still have plenty of time to return to European football later in his career, making a move to Saudi a more attractive option than it once seemed. Saudi Arabia calling. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) The expectation is that he would sign a contract lasting two or three seasons before potentially returning to Europe. Flick’s message was clear Throughout the process, Hansi Flick has been completely honest with the academy midfielder about his role within the squad. With Rodri’s potential arrival also moving closer, competition for places in Barcelona’s midfield is only expected to intensify. Although Casado always preferred to remain at the Spotify Camp Nou, the reality is that, at 22 years old, he needs consistent playing time. At Barcelona, those opportunities were becoming increasingly difficult to guarantee, making a summer departure appear the best solution for all parties involved.