What happened? In January, Spanish soccer giants Barcelona and Real Madrid agreed to swap players. Barcelona allowed forward Memphis Depay to leave Camp Nou for Wanda Metropolitano; in return, the Liga giants secured winger Yannick Carrasco. It was expected that a move would be pushed through in the next transfer window.
However, Barcelona are reluctant to meet Atletico Madrid’s demands. The Rojiblancos reportedly refuse to drop their asking price, despite the Catalans enduring well-documented financial struggles.
And furthermore: Barcelona are expected to continue negotiations with Atletico over Carrasco’s transfer, with the club keen to point out that the player is entering the final year of his contract and should be available at a reduced price.
After his stint in China, Carrasco returned to Atletico Madrid in 2020. He has scored 17 goals for the club since then and helped them to win the La Liga title in 2021.