Deco believes Xavi’s midfield target would be a game-changer for Hansi Flick – report

Dani Olmo has long been linked with a move to Barcelona, especially with the board being an admirer of the former La Masia star.

Xavi, in fact, personally requested Olmo’s signing this summer as he saw the player as one who would fit well into his dynamics, especially given his training in La Masia and his place in the Spanish National Team.

The arrival of new management with Hansi Flick, needless to say, changes the club’s priorities for June, but SPORT reveals that Olmo is likely to persist as a target.

Potential to shine

As revealed by the Spanish outlet, Barcelona’s sporting director Deco sees Olmo as a versatile player who can fit well into Flick’s anticipated system at Barcelona as well.

The German tactician is widely expected to bring in a 4-2-3-1 setup to Catalonia, the same system he won the sextuple with at Bayern Munich. Olmo, in Deco’s eyes, will fit well into any of the three midfield positions in the new setup.

Xavi wanted Barcelona to sign Dani Olmo. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

Flick knows Olmo well from his days in the Bundesliga, and the familiarity may play a role in prioritising the Spaniard’s signing. In any case, the hurdle is RB Leipzig’s asking price.

A difficult race

Olmo’s current contract with Leipzig runs until the summer of 2027, and it is clear that he will not arrive for a pocket-friendly amount.

After all, his release clause is set at €60 million, a figure that is out of Barcelona’s reach as things stand.

Further complicating Olmo’s return home is the long list of suitors lined up at the Bundesliga forward’s doorstep. Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Bayern Munich are all attentive to his situation and hope to sign him in the summer.

It thus remains to be seen how Barcelona and Flick proceed in the Spaniard’s signing and whether the new manager sees him to be a vital part of his project.