Barcelona director meets with former La Masia winger’s agent to discuss potential return

Barcelona director meets with former La Masia winger’s agent to discuss potential return According to Carlos Monfort of SPORT , Barcelona sporting director Deco has held talks with Jan Virgili’s agent, Alvaro Aicua, as the club evaluate whether to bring the young winger back to the club just one year after his departure. The meeting took place on Monday morning, with Virgili’s situation high on the agenda. Barça are reassessing their options following Mallorca’s relegation, a development that has significantly altered the financial terms surrounding the player. Significant drop in buyback clause When Barcelona sold Virgili to Mallorca last summer for around €3.5 million, they included several protections in the deal. Alongside a 40% sell-on clause and matching rights for any future offer, the Catalans negotiated a buy-back option that would drop if Mallorca were relegated. Virgili could be available for a low price for Barcelona. (Photo by Rafa Babot/Getty Images) That scenario has now become reality. The original buy-back fee of €30 million has fallen to €12 million, making a potential return far more attractive from Barcelona’s perspective. Two scenarios being considered This means that Barcelona can re-sign Virgili for a fee of just over €7 million. Given the situation, the club is currently considering two possible routes. The first option would be to re-sign the young Spanish winger and integrate him into the first-team squad. Alternatively, Barcelona could activate the clause and potentially sell him on for a substantial profit after his market value increase. Competition for places remains a major obstacle Virgili’s stock has risen considerably during his time at Mallorca, where he played a prominent role and impressed with his performances despite the club’s eventual relegation. Competition for places could become an issue. (Photo by Rafa Babot/Getty Images) His development has not gone unnoticed inside Barcelona, with the sporting department now weighing whether he could become a useful option under Hansi Flick or represent a smart financial opportunity. One factor working against a return is the fierce competition in Barcelona’s attacking positions. The club already possesses significant depth out wide, and the recent signing of Anthony Gordon has added another high-level option to the squad. Furthermore, Flick did not include Virgili in last summer’s pre-season tour of the United States, suggesting he was not considered part of the German coach’s immediate plans at the time. That situation may have evolved following the player’s progress over the past season, but there is still no clear indication of what role he would have if he returned. For now, Barcelona are simply analysing the situation. The meeting between Deco and Virgili’s representative indicates that they are actively exploring its options, but no final decision has been taken.