Barcelona rejected chance to sign Real Madrid summer signing due to €25 million release clause – report | OneFootball

Barcelona’s search for a new number nine has produced no shortage of names this summer, but one of the more surprising developments has emerged from a player who has now ended up at Real Madrid.

According to SPORT, Carlos Espi was offered to Barcelona before his move to the Santiago Bernabéu, but the Catalan club decided against pursuing a deal because they were unwilling to activate his €25 million release clause.

Barcelona’s efforts to strengthen the centre-forward position is well-documented. 

On that note, Julian Alvarez has been viewed as the club’s preferred target, while Lautaro Martínez and Viktor Gyokeres have also been linked as alternative options.

At the same time, it has emerged that Espi was among the possibilities, but the club decided not to pursue that route.

Barcelona liked Espi but refused to pay €25 million

Journalist Sique Rodriguez explained that Barcelona did not dismiss Espi because they doubted his potential.

Carlos Espi was offered to Barcelona. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

“Carlos Espi was offered to Barça, who consider him a good player. 

“They rejected it, among other reasons, because they were not willing to pay 25 million euros for someone who was not going to be a starter,” Rodríguez said.

Simply put, at Barcelona, a €25 million investment in a player expected to begin the season as a reserve option was considered too great a risk, particularly with the club already having other plans for the position.

Real Madrid ultimately took a different view, bringing Espi in as a replacement for Gonzalo Garcia and adding the young attacking option to Jose Mourinho’s squad.

For Barcelona, however, the question was whether the player’s potential justified such a significant outlay for someone who would not immediately be guaranteed a place in the starting XI.

Their answer was no.

Hamza Abdelkarim is Barcelona’s alternative plan

Barcelona are betting on Hamza Abdelkarim. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Barcelona’s decision was also influenced by the faith they have in Hamza Abdelkarim.

The young forward has been included in the squad for Barcelona’s opening two league matches but has yet to make an appearance. 

Despite that, the club consider him capable of filling the role of an alternative option through the middle.

“The bet is Hamza Abdelkarim. He has cost €1.5 million.

“He is very young and they consider that he can play the role of plan B, as a striker. A bet of €1.5 million can be made; one of 25 is riskier,” Rodríguez concluded.