Carlos Soler: How Barcelona could benefit financially from summer transfer

Barcelona do not yet have an agreement with Valencia to sign Carlos Soler this summer – Los Che were forced to deny such claims this week – but their ongoing interest in the midfielder stands to have a significant financial benefit if other deals also come to pass.

Soler has spent his entire career at Valencia, joining the club’s youth ranks 17 years ago at the age of eight, but his game has developed massively over the last two seasons and he has impressively played his way into the Spain national team in recent months.

Despite Valencia’s mid-table struggles, that form has not gone unnoticed, though claims of a deal already being agreed with Barcelona are premature.

Indeed, a statement from Valencia on Monday in response to reports in Spain of a move being near read, “Valencia CF deny the existence of any agreement – or any ongoing negotiation – with FC Barcelona for the transfer of Carlos Soler. The club are currently in an open negotiation process with the player and his agents to extend his contract with Valencia CF."

But while there is no agreement or ongoing talks regarding a transfer for Soler at this stage, SPORT say Barcelona remain interested in the 25-year-old - who is unlikely to sign a proposed new contract with Valencia for both ‘economic and sporting reasons’.

Soler is said to 'like' Barça, though the process of trying to sign him remains in the preliminary stages as it would be necessary to first concentrate on agreeing sales for existing players before 30 June when the season officially ends – for accounting purposes.

Listen now to 90min's brand new podcast, Talking Transfers, with Scott Saunders & Graeme Bailey. Toby Cudworth joins the show again this week to discuss how Erik ten Hag's appointment may affect Man Utd's pursuit of Paul Mitchell. There is also chat on the futures of Jesse Lingard & David de Gea and a look at what Newcastle are planning this summer.

Financially, however, a deal for Soler may not be viable unless an existing midfielder leaves for big money. Xavi and others have repeatedly insisted that Frenkie de Jong remains an important player for now and the future at Barcelona and is therefore not openly available on the transfer market, but 90min understands the door is not fully closed on a potential exit.

The possibility that De Jong could be sold for €75m and Soler brought in as a replacement for around €30m cannot be ignored as far as the club’s still delicate finances are concerned. But again, Soler’s arrival may only be feasible if other pieces are moved around the board first, such as Riqui Puig - the 22-year-old who Barça have so far been unsuccessful in trying to move on.

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