Laporta and Barca are playing things exactly right with Ilaix

Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images

Too big for his boots?

At just 18 years of age, Ilaix Moriba is already making his mark at Barcelona.

Until recently that was on the pitch, where his transition to the first-team has been seamless.

Indeed, in the handful of games that he’s played under Ronald Koeman, he’s certainly looked at home and, in time, could quite easily be one of the mainstays of the senior side if he continues in the same vein.

However, he still has a lot to learn.

A lot to learn.

Starting with respect for his team-mates, his coach, his president, the club and the supporters.

Having recently changed agents, rumours suggest that ROGON are now demanding the earth for their client, who, we should remind ourselves, is still at the beginning of his career and only just breaking into the first-team.

Ilaix Moriba's new agency is the German agency ROGON. They represent Max Meyer - maybe you’ve heard the famous story: Meyer didn't extend his contract at Schalke cos ROGON asked a ridiculous salary for "world-class player" Meyer, who then ended up going to Crystal Palace for free https://t.co/xuZpB4BPmL

— Alex Truica (@AlexTruica) July 17, 2021

I just hope ROGON do a better and more sensible job at representing Ilaix Moriba then they did with Max Meyer.
And I hope Ilaix is smarter to make the right call and to not blindly trust his new agent/agency.

What happenend with Meyer should serve as a cautionary tale for Ilaix.

— Alex Truica (@AlexTruica) July 17, 2021

He isn’t yet established, even if the belief is that he soon will be. Even if those around him believe he already is.

Taking into account the club’s financial predicament because of the coronavirus pandemic and Josep Maria Bartomeu’s spendthriftiness, Ilaix and his entourage are playing a very dangerous game indeed.

To that end, all culers should stand squarely behind Joan Laporta, who continues to do his very best to right a number of wrongs, and has laid down the law to Ilaix in this instance.

Demoting him back to Barca B should’ve been enough for the player, his family and his agents to perfectly well understand the club’s position, and remedy the issue.

After all, it wasn’t too long ago when his father was interviewed and suggested that he wanted to spend his entire career in blaugrana.

Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images

“We said no to a lot of money because Ilaix wanted to play for Barça. We had offers from Chelsea, Manchester City and Juventus that were bigger than Barça, and I canceled a trip to Manchester because Barça made a strong bet,” Mundo Deportivo had quoted Mamady Moriba as saying.

“We’ll go to death with the culés and we want to stay at Barça. I have no words to describe [Koeman], we have to thank him so much for everything he has done for Ilaix and all the confidence he has given him.

“Also thank you to the club and everyone who has helped Ilaix in all the years at La Masia.”

Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Those words are sounding incredibly hollow right now, thanks to the blanket refusal to put pen to paper on a new deal which has even seen Ilaix dropped from Barca B’s pre-season friendlies too, as Laporta continues to turn the screw.

He can leave for free in a year of course, but if the youngster continues down the same path, expect a swift departure to be announced this summer.

For the first time in years, Barcelona aren’t being held to ransom and being walked all over.

Long may it continue.

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