FC Barcelona put in a solid performance during their pre-season tour of the United States, where they beat Manchester City (2-2, 4-1 on penalties) and Real Madrid (2-1) and Milan (2-2, 3-4 on penalties). Preparations for the start of the season are in full swing, and the club is also busy on the transfer market.
FC Barcelona announces blockbuster transfer of Euro 2024 star. “He's coming home”
For some time now, there has been speculation that the Catalans are very seriously interested in Dani Olmo, the winner of Euro 2024 and the top scorer of the tournament. The 26-year-old is a product of Barcelona, but from La Masia, the club's academy, he moved to Dinamo Zagreb, where he made his senior debut. There, his career took off (in November 2019, he made his debut for the Spanish national team), and in early 2020, he joined RB Leipzig. After just over four years in Germany, he is returning to his parent club.
On Friday, the Spanish vice-champions announced the acquisition of the player. “FC Barcelona and RB Leipzig have reached an agreement regarding the transfer of Dani Olmo. The player will sign a contract with the club for the next six seasons, until June 30, 2030, and his buyout clause has been set at 500 million euros,” we read on the club's official website. Meanwhile, a video was posted on social media, which included fragments of his appearances in the youth teams. “He's coming home” – this sentence was found at the end of the video.
The cost of acquiring the 26-year-old was not disclosed. According to media reports, the transfer fee will be over 60 million euros (55 million base + 7 million in bonuses). Barcelona, which is struggling financially, can afford such an expensive move because it will soon recover the outstanding money from a German investment fund..
Dani Olmo is a player of FC Barcelona. Robert Lewandowski can rub his hands with glee
Olmo should be a big boost for Barcelona. He has represented Spain 39 times (11 goals, 9 assists), and in addition to his successes at Euro 2024, he won the Nations League last year. He has many more titles, including five Croatian championships with Dinamo, and won the German Cup twice with Leipzig, and the German Super Cup once. He should therefore provide adequate support for Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal, provided that he is not stopped by injuries – he missed 29 games last season and 68 in total in the last three years.
“The Catalan player can play in a variety of positions and has done so throughout his career. He has played on both wings, as a striker, just behind the attackers or even in the middle of the pitch. These are the options that Dani Olmo gives the team. Wherever he plays, Olmo stands out for his individual talent and team-mate cooperation. He has a nose for goal, as he showed at Euro 2024, and can score both from inside and outside the penalty area,” is how he was described on the club's official website.
If all the formalities are completed, Dani Olmo should play in FC Barcelona's season opener against Valencia, scheduled for August 17. Five days earlier, the Catalan team will have one last friendly match, a clash with AS Monaco in the Gamper Cup.