When Barcelona let go of academy defender Mika Marmol to Andorra a couple of years ago, the Catalans made sure to retain 50% of the player’s rights, hoping it would pay off in the future given the potential that the defender had displayed.
When he moved to Las Palmas from Andorra in the summer window last year, the Catalans kept hold of the 50% rights.
And, the Blaugrana might end up benefiting from their move to share ownership of Marmol’s rights with the Canary Islanders, as the young centre-half has grown into a mainstay for his new club and is attracting interest.
Atletico Madrid eyeing Mika Marmol
Indeed, as per Gabriel Sans of Mundo Deportivo, Atletico Madrid are among a number of clubs showing an interest in signing Marmol from Las Palmas.
The 22-year-old left-footed centre-half has grown into a permanent fixture in defence for Garcia Pimienta’s side, who will be Barça’s first opponents in 2024.
Several clubs, including Atletico Madrid are said to be eyeing the Spanish youngster, with their manager, Diego Simeone, understood to be an admirer. The 22-year-old is seen as a possible replacement for Stefan Savic.
But any move in January could be complicated due to finances.
As per the report, Marmol has a release clause worth €30 million in his contract with Las Palmas, and no suitors, including Los Rojiblancos, are willing to match that figure.
Furthermore, the Colchoneros are also focusing on the contract renewal of Mario Hermoso, which would also be an impediment.
Even if there are talks, Atletico would be looking to offer around half of the aforementioned price, something that does not convince Las Palmas as they have to share the fee with Barcelona.
So, it remains to be seen if the move does go through, which would help Barcelona financially. The Blaugrana are staring at a similar situation with another former defender, Jean-Clair Todibo, for whom they have a 20% sell-on clause.
