Laporta let slip that Barcelona midfielder wants to leave in recent interview – report

Barcelona tend to welcome new signings every summer transfer window in a bid to fortify the squad, but it is equally important for some players to make their way through the exit door.

To avoid overbooking in the squad and ensure the salary cap does not become a burden, facilitating player departures will once again be a priority for the club this summer.

Candidates for an exit include those with high market value and players who struggled for game time last season.

In this context, the potential sale of Oriol Romeu becomes a logical consideration, as he found it immensely difficult to nail a starting position last season.

Joan Laporta drops a hint

However, it appears Barcelona will not have to sweat themselves convincing Romeu to pack his bags this summer, as he is on the same page with the club.

Indeed, according to Catalunya Radio (h/t Mundo Deportivo) Joan Laporta, during an exclusive interview with Barça One, revealed that Oriol Romeo had requested to leave Barcelona.

Laporta had revealed Romeu’s request to leave in an interview. (Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images)

Notably, this segment was omitted from the final published version of the interview last week, which could be due to a variety of reasons.

While it is an open secret that Barça consider the Spanish midfielder a disposable asset, the president of the club publicly claiming he intends to leave makes it easier for opponents to negotiate a discounted price.

Moreover, the future of players are generally considered confidential, especially during the summer transfer window. In any case, with a contract that runs until 30 June 2026, Romeu will bring in some funds for the club.

It remains to be seen which club Romeu is offloaded to, but a return to his former club Girona is a stark possibility, considering he enjoyed a great spell there before joining Barcelona.