The departure of Marc Casado from FC Barcelona seems closer after Al-Ahli have directly contacted the Spanish giants. Following his dwindling importance in Hansi Flick's congested midfield, the 22-year-old Spaniard is widely believed to be heading out of Catalonia within the next few days as the club reviews formal offers.
Casado's omission from Barcelona's most recent pre-season squad list against Udinese and Nottingham Forest is a clear sign that a transfer is imminent, and he isn't participating in their remaining friendlies. This is an indication that an agreement is nearing a conclusion.
Al-Ahli have joined the race
The Saudi league club Al-Ahli have formally indicated their interest in the defensive midfielder, identifying him as a top priority for their team. They are highly confident about quickly reaching personal terms with the player since Casado's representatives (managed by Jorge Mendes) are completely in agreement of finding solutions that guarantee first-team action.
But there is just one point stopping Casado's transfer: Barcelona's valuation of the player.
The €40 million hurdle
Barcelona are demanding an amount upwards of €30 million, and inching closer towards €40 million, for their youth academy graduate. These steep demands are precisely why negotiations with another Saudi Giant collapsed a few weeks ago.
In July, Al Hilal made a bid for Casado but it was rejected by Barcelona as it fell well short of their financial expectations. Although Al Hilal were close to reaching an agreement over personal terms, they were completely reluctant to meet Barcelona's €40 million valuation.
Now, the ball is in Al-Ahli's court and if they successfully overcome the financial barrier separating them from Barcelona, the move for Casado to the Middle East will be given the green light. This will close the chapter on his time at Camp Nou and allow Barcelona to generate funds in order to balance their books in the 2026-27 campaign.
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