Market Blow? Manchester City Pursues Dani Olmo

Manchester City has closely followed Dani Olmo since his time at RB Leipzig, where the Catalan became one of the best midfielders in the Bundesliga and the Spanish National Team, playing a key role in Euro 2024. Pep Guardiola is a great admirer of the player from Terrassa and the Manchester club was willing to activate his €50 million release clause before it expired in July 2024.

Ultimately, Olmo joined FC Barcelona that summer for 55 'million', being the '20' the star signing in a market where only he and Pau Víctor arrived. The operation sparked enormous controversy with LaLiga and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), resolved thanks to the intervention of the Higher Sports Council (CSD). The governmental body ordered the reactivation of the licenses of both, allowing Barça to recover them and have full control of their registrations for the upcoming market.

In this sense, City continues to monitor the situation of the attacking midfielder, especially since Olmo could become a free agent due to registration issues at Barcelona. According to the latest information, the 'sky blue' team and Arsenal are keeping an eye on the possibility of signing him for 'free' if his registration for the 2025-26 season is not resolved, although the CSD ruling, in principle, guarantees that Dani and Pau can play without restrictions until the end of their contracts.

City Eyes Dani Olmo as Possible Replacement for Kevin De Bruyne

In any case, City does not rule out making a formal offer for the '20' Barça player this summer, as the imminent departure of Kevin De Bruyne forces the club to seek another player with similar characteristics and the Spanish international has a profile that would fit very well into Guardiola's scheme. The Belgian announced this week, through his social media, his farewell to the club at the end of the 24-25 season.

When Olmo was at Leipzig, it was said that City was willing to pay his €60 million release clause. Now, with Olmo at Barça, any offer would likely depend on the player's contractual and registration situation. The clause for the 26-year-old player is €500 million, as long as his contract, valid until 2030, remains active in the LaLiga Manager system.

Barça Has No Intentions of Putting Dani Olmo on the Market

Beyond the market rumors, Barça is clear that Dani Olmo is a key piece in their sports project. Despite the financial difficulties and registration issues in the 2024-2025 season, Barça managed to keep him and the attacking midfielder has always expressed his desire to stay, rejecting rumors of a move to clubs like City, Manchester United, or Bayern Munich.

His agent, Andy Bara, also confirmed in December 2024 that "Barcelona is the first and last option" for the player, emphasizing his emotional commitment to the club where he developed as a youth player. Although the financial situation at Barça remains complex, the board has no intentions of listening to offers for Dani in 2025, despite the pressures from LaLiga and the frequent injuries suffered by the academy player.