Barcelona block January exit of youth gem despite six-year agreement with Almeria | OneFootball

Barcelona have taken a firm stance on the future of one of their youth prospects after deciding to block the January departure of Quim Junyent, despite the player already having a long-term agreement in place with Almeria.

According to SPORT, Junyent will not be allowed to leave this winter, even though he has already signed a contract that would tie him to Almeria for the next six seasons once his current deal expires. 

The decision has created an unusual and uncomfortable situation for the midfielder, who now faces several months in limbo before completing his move in the summer.

A tricky situation for everyone

In recent weeks, Junyent’s situation at Barcelona has become increasingly complicated. He has not been included in matchday squads for Barça Atletic, and more recently, he has also been left out of the Juvenil A setup. 

That lack of involvement has raised questions about his sporting role for the remainder of the season.

Negotiations between Barcelona, the player’s representatives, and Almeria went down to the final hours of the transfer window. 

Quim Junyent will not leave Barcelona in winter. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

However, the Catalan club insisted on adding several clauses to the deal that would apply over the next four months. 

Those conditions were viewed as unacceptable by Almeria, ultimately leading to the collapse of the January move.

As a result, Junyent will remain under contract at Barcelona until the end of the season, at which point he is expected to formally join Almeria, who have made a strong commitment to him, presenting a long-term sporting project. 

The agreement between Almeria and Junyent is considered complete and simply awaiting execution in the summer.

It is said that Almeria’s ambitions have also played a key role. 

Backed by strong investors and plans to renovate their stadium, the club is aiming to build a competitive squad in the coming years, with Junyent viewed as one of the pillars of that project.