Girona FC’s Oriol Romeu is set to join FC Barcelona, as the Catalans attempt to replace former veteran Sergio Busquets and strengthen the team.
Barcelona have been busy this summer. Under strict FFP rules, they have not been able to spend big this summer. But still, the management has made some quality signings on a low budget.
They have already lured former Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan and Inigo Martinez from Athletic Bilbao. Both were free transfers as well. And now they will sign Oriol Romeu, a defensive midfielder in what could be said as a smart signing.
Barcelona set to sign Oriol Romeu and send Pablo Torre on loan
After many weeks of negotiations, a deal has been reached between the two clubs. A fee of 5 million euros plus a loan player was key to reaching an agreement.
According to renowned Catalan journalist Gerard Romero, Romeu had already left pre-season training with his current club Girona. He went to Barcelona to undergo his medical exams to complete the deal. And now only the signing of documents is left to make the deal official.
Barcelona are set to seal Oriol Romeu deal, here we go! 🔵🔴🇪🇸 #FCB
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 17, 2023
Agreement reached with Girona — it will include Pablo Torres’ loan until 2024.
Medical done as @JijantesFC called and it’s now time to prepare documents in order to get it signed.
Oriol joins Barça this week. pic.twitter.com/lTpuBNOWYg
Oriol Romeu has been long rumoured to join the current La Liga champions, and personally requested by manager Xavi Hernandez. He was considered one of the priority targets to replace former captain Sergio Busquets whose player profile is considered quite rare.
Along with Romeu moving to Barcelona, 20-year-old Spanish midfielder Pablo Torre will go the other way as well, though just on a loan deal. He will join for the entirety of next season, and it was part of the deal. Apparently, Girona didn’t want to let go of Oriol so easily. The loan deal is said to have sweetened the deal.
Who is Oriol Romeu?
Romeu is mainly a defensive midfielder, similar to Sergio Busquets. He is known for his tackling ability, his passing prowess and his stable presence in the midfield.
This is also not the first time the 31-year-old will be representing the Barcelona colours. Romeu is, in fact, a La Masia graduate, having played in their reserve teams. He finally made his career debut in 2011, having been brought on from the reserves by Pep Guardiola himself.
This means that Romeu understands the Barca way of playing and can comfortably fit into the team.
Romeu then made a switch to Premier League club Chelsea that summer for 5 million euros. He spent 4 years at the club but failed to really impress. The midfielder spent two years as a loan player, first for Valencia in 2013, and the second for German club VFB Stuttgart in 2014.
He then joined another English club Southampton in 2015. This is where he impressed, and became a very important player for them. He then again came back to Spain in 2022, joining his current club Girona. The now 31-year-old became so crucial for their team, that they were unwilling to discuss terms with Barcelona.
Romeu never represented his national team at the senior level, though he was part of the U-17 Euro-winning team. He also played for the U-21 team and for Spain in the 2012 Olympics.
Romeu’s official transfer could be expected in the coming days. His signing may not be a huge one, but it shows that Barcelona are active in the transfer market.
