Everything Barca
Fansided

Official: Barcelona let go of Munir for next to nothing

By Chiranjib Ghosh

Munir during the presentation of the team 2018-19 before the match between FC Barcelona and C.A. Boca Juniors, corresponding to the Joan Gamper trophy, played at the Camp Nou, on 15th August, 2018, in Barcelona, Spain. -- (Photo by Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Munir during the presentation of the team 2018-19 before the match between FC Barcelona and C.A. Boca Juniors, corresponding to the Joan Gamper trophy, played at the Camp Nou, on 15th August, 2018, in Barcelona, Spain. -- (Photo by Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Munir’s sale signals Barcelona’s first poor transaction of the season

Barcelona technical secretary Éric Abidal was widely lauded for his ability to negotiate good deals after he took over from Robert Fernández. In his first transfer window in charge, the ex-Culé oversaw 8 departures, bringing in a record €147 million in transfer fees.

It included the sales of deadweights like Aleix Vidal and Yerry Mina. But in the January transfer window, Abidal has record his first failure as technical secretary of the club. It has been the sale of Munir to Sevilla for a measly fee of €1.05 million, while his market value was in double figures.

More from Everything Barca

While it is true that Munir’s contract expires at the end of the season and he would have left on a free transfer otherwise, it is expected of Barcelona to negotiate at least half of his market value. But the club has offloaded the La Masia graduate for next to nothing.

Comparing €1.05 million and having a secure backup for Luis Suárez till the end of the season, the latter seems much more attractive than the former. Now, the club will have to find a short-term solution to this problem, with no high-profile players being allowed to leave mid-season.

Éric Abidal has recently shown interest in out-of-form Chelsea centre-forward Álvaro Morata, who is expected to leave on loan. But that is going to cost around €10 million in total, leaving the club in the red vis-à-vis the entire striker business.

Is Krzysztof Piątek the required marquee signing?. dark. Next

This is a serious shortcoming on part of Éric Abidal, and the club needs to find a solution now, lest Suárez suffer a serious long-term injury.