Man Utd handed boost in pursuit of Barcelona wonderkid as contract negotiations stall

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Manchester United have been handed a boost to their chances of signing Barcelona youngster Ilaix Moriba this summer. United are among many clubs keeping an eye on Moriba and will be encouraged to hear that contract talks between the 18-year-old and his club have stalled.

Moriba is one of the most highly regarded young players on Barca’s books at the moment and has already broken through into the first team.

The central midfielder made 18 appearances for Ronald Koeman’s side in 2020/21 after coming through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy.

Moriba contributed one goal and two assists in La Liga, where Koeman’s side finished a disappointing third, and will be hoping to kick on next season.

Yet his future may not lie with the Catalan club, with his current contract set to expire in June 2022 and currently no progress over a new one.

According to Mundo Deportivo, talks between Moriba’s representatives and Barca have stalled over the youngster’s wage demands.

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The Spain Under-19 international, who has switched his representation from Stellar Group to German agency Rogon, reportedly wants a substantial increase on his £13,000-a-week wages after making the step up to the first team.

The Spanish newspaper says Barca have ‘baulked’ at his terms, prompting United, Chelsea and RB Leipzig to monitor the situation.

United reportedly made a ‘firm offer’ back in March, but Barca have protected themselves by inserting a buy-out clause of £86m into Moriba’s contract.

Barcelona are understood to be keen to sell players in order to balance their books amid a squad rebuild this summer.

However, United are unlikely to be the only major European club interested in poaching Moriba, with United’s rivals already having established contact with him.

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Juventus and Manchester City both tried to lure him away from Barca back in 2019 – and City got very close to doing so.

“With Barca, negotiations were not advancing. We met [Man City sporting director] Txiki Begiristain and he explained the project to us,” Moriba’s father Mamady Kourouma explained.

“We liked it because they were betting big on Ilaix. A few weeks later we had our tickets to Manchester to go and sign the contract.

“I cancelled it that same morning we were supposed to go there. I wanted Ilaix to be a reference point for the upcoming Barca generations. His friends had gone.

“If he stayed it was proof that Barcelona bet on young players. And we reached a deal where everyone won.”

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