RB Leipzig sign Barcelona’s wantaway youngster Ilaix Moriba

With Iliax Moriba rejecting a renewal with just one year remaining in his contract, Barcelona have accepted the €16 million offer from RB Leipzig.

Goal reports that the Bundesliga side have agreed to pay €16 million ($19m/£13m) for the talented midfielder with the Catalans possibly even receiving around 22 million euros with bonuses.

The 18-year-old is said to be joining Leipzig on a four-year deal with an option to extend it for another year. While Barca would have ideally wanted to keep the promising youngster, his demands were too much for them.

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Moriba forced Barca to sell him this summer for any little amount as he was refusing to renew his expiring contract due to a mismatch in the wages proposed. President Joan Laporta was vocal about the fact that the club always comes above any player, as evident with Lionel Messi joining Paris Saint-Germain due to the club’s financial situation.

Barcelona accept RB Leipzig’s bid for Ilaix Moriba

With Moriba wanting more money, Barca felt that he valued money over gaining experience at the age of 18 and that he does not fix the Barca philosophy. Moriba had already become the highest paid in Barca’s youth ranks after his previous three-year contract renewal worth 1 million euros. But his agent wanted him to earn even more from now on.

This resulted in Moriba being removed from the squad list for both the B team and the pre-season friendlies and subsequently resulted in him now leaving the club. Chelsea, Manchester City, and even Real Madrid were interested in signing the youngster but in the end, Leipzig were the ones to offer a reasonable contract to convince the Catalans.

Was letting Moriba leave the right choice?