Levante eye deferred transfer for 22-year-old Barcelona striker target amid €25m CSKA Moscow bid | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have a squad strewn with young talent all over the pitch except at striker. Robert Lewandowski is getting on in years and into the final few months of his contract with the Catalan club. His back-up at the moment is Ferran Torres.

While the Spaniard’s game has come on in leaps and bounds in recent seasons, he might not have what it takes to lead Barcelona’s line on a permanent basis, and at the very least, the club needs a developmental bet who offers something different to Ferran.

One player the club has been interested in for a while is Levante striker Etta Eyong. Barcelona were linked with a potential move for him even before he left Villarreal to join his current club, and they continue to keep tabs on his progress.

Now, according to SPORT, CSKA Moscow have made an early move to try to sign Etta Eyong from Levante, with the La Liga side said to be willing to listen to offers. This puts Barcelona in a fix with respect to their long-term plans.

The Russian side is said to be willing to offer €25 million plus add-ons to sign the 22-year-old, and that is too good a financial package for Levante to turn down.

However, Levante are reportedly considering this proposal but prefer a deferred sale in which they receive part of the transfer fee now while allowing Eyong to remain in La Liga until June. This arrangement would satisfy both the club’s sporting plans and the striker’s desire to continue his development in Spain.

Eyong’s entourage is open to a move in January but understands his preference to finish the season at Levante. Negotiations with CSKA are ongoing, with the potential for a release clause that would allow the striker to leave again in the summer if an attractive offer arises.

Several top clubs across Europe are closely monitoring Eyong, meaning the market could become highly competitive once the season concludes.

Levante are also exploring other opportunities to secure a transfer before June 30 to ensure the deal counts as profit this financial year. Any sale above €15 million would see proceeds shared 50–50 with Villarreal due to previous agreements, making the CSKA offer financially appealing.

If a deferred sale to CSKA is agreed, Eyong’s entourage wants an exit clause set at around €40 million starting from June 30, ensuring a potentially lucrative move in the summer depending on his performances in the remainder of the season.

Meanwhile, Levante are keeping multiple options on the table to guarantee significant revenue while retaining the player for the final months of the campaign.

Barcelona now find themselves in a catch-22 situation. The Catalan club has been tracking the Cameroonian international’s performances for a significant period, and if they are keen on signing him, they have to move sooner rather than later. Let us see how CSKA Moscow go about making this happen.