Barcelona set to miss out on potential income from Mika Marmol sale | OneFootball

In recent years, as FC Barcelona have navigated one of the most difficult economic periods in their history, the club has been forced to manage its finances with extreme caution, ensuring that no potential source of income is overlooked.

Within this context, the rights Barça retained on several former players have become an important financial safety net, allowing the club to generate revenue from transfers without weakening the current squad. Sales of such players have previously helped ease financial pressure, making these arrangements particularly valuable for La Blaugrana.

However, not all of these anticipated income streams have materialised. One of the clearest examples is Mika Marmol, a defender developed at La Masia who joined UD Las Palmas in the summer of 2023 from FC Andorra.

In that operation, the Canarian club acquired 50% of the player’s rights, while Barcelona smartly retained the remaining half, banking on a future transfer.

Since then, Marmol has been a consistent and highly reliable performer, and his name has surfaced in virtually every transfer window as a potential reinforcement for top-level clubs.

Girona made a serious approach last summer, while Roma were close to triggering his €10 million release clause during the previous winter window. On both occasions, UD Las Palmas president Miguel Ángel Ramírez refused to negotiate unless the full clause was paid, a stance that ultimately blocked the deals.

As a result, Barcelona came close on multiple occasions to earning between €4 million and €5 million for their share of the player, a significant boost that would have eased the club’s strained finances. Instead, those opportunities slipped away.

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Now, with Marmol’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, SPORT reports that Barça’s 50% stake is in serious danger of becoming worthless. UD Las Palmas are pushing hard for a renewal in order to preserve their chance of cashing in, but so far, there has been no breakthrough.

Tensions have risen to the point where the club has reportedly threatened the player with reduced or no playing time should he refuse to extend his deal.

Such a scenario would also hurt Las Palmas themselves. Under Luis García, the team is enjoying a strong sporting moment and remains firmly in the fight to return to the top flight following last season’s relegation. Marmol is a defensive leader and an undisputed starter, having played every possible minute when fit, and sidelining him would significantly weaken the team’s promotion ambitions.

A January transfer appears equally unlikely. With only six months left on his contract, any offers would be minimal, and even those sums would have to be split between Las Palmas and Barcelona. From a financial standpoint, a winter sale would bring little benefit to either club.

As things stand, everything points to Mika Marmol leaving as a free agent in the summer. If that happens, both UD Las Palmas and FC Barcelona will lose out, with the Catalan giants seeing yet another expected financial lever disappear at a time when every euro still matters.