Sergi Roberto is reportedly unhappy with the latest extension offered by Barcelona, amid increasing interest from the Premier League.
According to a report by Spanish publication Don Balon, Barcelona have been unable to end their contract impasse with Sergi Roberto, who is not satisfied with the latest offer from the club. The Catalans are at risk at losing the Spaniard for €40 million, with Premier League clubs keen on signing him.
Roberto joined the fabled La Masia academy in 2006, rapidly progressing through the ranks before graduating into the senior setup in 2009. After biding his time with the Barcelona B side for four years, the player finally became a regular within the first-team setup in 2013, and he hasn’t looked back since.
Under the tutelage of Luis Enrique, his status within the squad elevated further, with the 25-year-old making an unfamiliar right-back slot his own last season. But, following the arrival of Ernesto Valverde, Roberto is no longer one of the first names on the team sheet, although he still remains a key figure for the new Barcelona boss.
MD:
Sergi Roberto’s agent, Josep Maria Orobitg, will return to Barcelona on Friday to discuss Sergi’s contract renewal with Barcelona officials. There are proposals on the table but the two parties are still far away from an agreement. pic.twitter.com/cDAdzH4Qrz— ᵁᴸᵀᴿᴬ® (@UltraAutistic) November 30, 2017
While he remains an important player at Camp Nou, there are increasing concerns surrounding his future at the club, with the two parties failing to reach an agreement over a renewal. Roberto believes that the offer on the table does not aptly justify his current status at the club and has asked to be paid what he is worth.
With just eighteen months left on his current deal at Camp Nou, it might be in Barcelona’s best interests to reach an end to the long-standing impasse, especially with clubs from the Premier League tailing the player.
The likes of Chelsea and both Manchester clubs have been previously linked with Roberto quite heavily, and it is quite likely that the trio, and a few more clubs’ interest has been piqued by his current situation at Barcelona.
With the 25-year-old available for just €40 million – not really a significant outlay in today’s market – and his best years well ahead of him, a possible move for him from the aforementioned suitors makes a lot of sense as his versatility would make him quite the asset.
It now remains to be seen if Barcelona are able to conclude negotiations over a renewal so as to tie Roberto down to a new deal at Camp Nou, and keep him away from the prying hands of Premier League clubs.
