Oriol Romeu has been one of the footballers who has caused the most discussion in the Barça offices this past year. The Catalan arrived in Barcelona hoping to make the starting eleven, but he didn't achieve it. His level dropped sharply and he didn't show what was desired from him.
Barça are going through a great sporting moment and few players can keep up with the demands Flick makes. Oriol Romeu has been one of those cases and the only viable option is an immediate departure. Several teams are interested in the midfielder, but one has emerged as the favorite.
Oriol Romeu and his time at Barça
Oriol Romeu started the preseason two years ago in the best possible way and completely won over Xavi Hernández. Unfortunately, the badge was too much for him and he faded throughout the year until he was left without minutes. With Flick's arrival, Romeu lost any chance to step onto the field and ended up going out on loan.
The player himself later publicly admitted that he had gone through a difficult mental period and that this had affected his game. Oriol Romeu couldn't show what he was capable of at Barça, but he did at Girona. In fact, the club he was loaned to was Girona and he has remained a key player for Míchel.
Girona were interested in bringing back their former midfielder, but everything indicates that another team will secure his services. We're talking about Valencia, who already had Oriol Romeu for one season in the 2013-14 campaign. The problem is that Barça can't manage to sell him and will likely lose several million euros.
Oriol Romeu's departure
Oriol Romeu is a veteran who can bring a lot of experience to whichever team he's on, but it seems not to be enough. No team is willing to pay for him and Barça are negotiating his departure. In fact, it's most likely that the Catalans will end up terminating his contract and he'll leave as a free agent.
This would be very beneficial for Valencia, as they'll receive a great footballer as a free agent. We'll have to closely follow the steps of Barça and Oriol Romeu, who will leave Barcelona in search of a new challenge.