Barcelona midfielder’s move to Ligue 1 club ruled out as club look to accelerate sale

Barcelona midfielder’s move to Ligue 1 club ruled out as club look to accelerate sale Marc Casado has been a hot topic in the transfer market lately, as the midfielder looks set to leave Camp Nou as part of the team’s summer clearout. Casado is no longer a part of Hansi Flick’s plans amid stiff competition in midfield. Therefore, he has been linked with a move to a number of clubs, including AS Monaco. The Ligue 1 outfit are expected to finalise the signing of Ansu Fati soon, but have also shown interest in signing Casado. However, it appears a move to Monaco is no longer an option. Why did Monaco move get ruled out? Marc Casado is likely to leave Barcelona this summer amid interest from AS Monaco and Spanish clubs. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) According to Fabrizio Romano, as relayed by Diario SPORT , there is no agreement or advanced negotiations between the principality club and the Barcelona midfielder. This effectively rules out the Casado and Monaco agreement, with the report going on to claim that the midfielder’s future remains open for now. This doesn’t bode well for Barcelona, who are desperately looking to accelerate the sale of Casado and are working tirelessly with agent Jorge Mendes to find a new home for the youngster before the end of the current financial year. Alongside the sale of Ansu Fati, offloading Casado is considered essential to balance the books and meet Financial Fair Play requirements by July 1. What are Casado’s other options? Atletico Madrid are not interested in making a move for Casado this summer. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) With Monaco out of the picture, attention turns to the alternatives. One avenue Mendes explored was Atletico Madrid, but Los Colchoneros have rejected the chance to sign the midfielder. The club believe their midfield is already sufficiently stocked and being unwilling to mix operations with any future Julian Alvarez negotiation. Al Hilal remain a possibility given their financial muscle, and Casado would not be opposed to a move that helps the club through a difficult period. Real Betis also admire his profile, though they would first need to generate revenue and free up salary space before making any concrete move.