Ilaix Moriba chooses RB Leipzig over Tottenham
By Tom Gott
Barcelona starlet Ilaix Moriba has decided to join RB Leipzig this summer, with a €20m transfer on the cards.
The highly rated 18-year-old has been exiled at Camp Nou after refusing to extend his contract, which has just one year left to run, and has been pursued by a whole host of Europe's biggest sides.
In recent days, it's Tottenham who had been pushing harder than the rest of England's elite, but according to Sky Germany's Max Bielefeld, Ilaix has informed them that he plans to take his talents to the Bundesliga instead.
Leipzig are now clearly ahead in the race for Ilaix's signature, but things will all come down to whether or not the German side choose to meet Barcelona's asking price of around €20m (£17m).
As noted by Mundo Deportivo, Leipzig's opening offer stood at around €6m (£5m) and has not yet been increased, although they may be more willing to do so once Marcel Sabitzer seals his move to Bayern Munich.
Ilaix's camp have also told Barcelona that they want to go to Leipzig, putting pressure on those in charge at Camp Nou to find an agreement over a transfer fee before the window comes to a close in 48 hours.
Barcelona hope to sell Ilaix in the coming days as they are well aware he is 12 months away from leaving for free, but they are determined to bring in a substantial fee for a player who is widely viewed as one of the game's top youngsters.
Should Leipzig refuse to budge, they are happy to wait a year and sign Ilaix on a free transfer. They already have an agreement with the teenager over personal terms and have a five-year contract ready to kick in during the summer of 2022, but a transfer in the coming days would obviously be preferential for everyone involved.
Ilaix is facing a season banished in the reserves if he does not leave the club this summer, with Barcelona ready to use the teenager as an example of what they will do to players who do not want to be at the club anymore.
He wants to join Leipzig, and once they bring in the €16m from selling Sabitzer to Bayern, they may well choose to up their bid.