Saudi league clubs are targeting the signing of one of Barcelona’s most prominent players to join them during the upcoming summer transfer window.
As part of Barcelona’s efforts to offload some first-team players in order to sign Marcus Rashford, an unexpected yet economically exciting opportunity has arisen with the possibility of Unai Hernandez, one of the most prominent players in the reserve team, leaving.
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Although the focus is currently on the first-team transfer market, with players such as Eric Garcia and Ansu Fati on the departure list, the club may succeed in completing a surprise deal for the 20-year-old striker, who was expected to be one of La Masia’s most prominent talents in the future.
Unai Hernandez’s contract with Barcelona expires on June 30. Although both parties initially expressed a desire to extend his contract, the latest developments suggest his imminent departure to the Saudi league.
According to the newspaper “Sport”, the player requested reserve team coach Albert Sanchez not to call him up for the match against Ourense, explaining that he is in serious negotiations regarding a potential transfer to Saudi club Al-Ittihad. These negotiations are being handled by Ramon Planes, the club’s former sporting director, who is working on a deal that could be worth around 5 or 6 million euros, although the player’s current market value is estimated at around 1 million euros.
If this deal goes through, it will provide an important income for Barcelona, who are aiming to strengthen their first-team squad in the winter transfer market. Given the financial challenges the club is facing, under the leadership of Deco, the sporting management is exploring ways to finance player acquisitions, considering the potential departures of Ansu Fati and Eric Garcia, though no agreements have been reached regarding them yet.
Since the start of the season, Unai Hernandez has become a key player for Barcelona Atlético, participating in every match and scoring nine goals along with two assists. His excellent performances have played a crucial role in keeping the team competitive. However, in the last match against Ourense, which ended in a 1-1 draw, coach Albert Sanchez attributed his absence from the squad to the player being “not focused.”
“Unai didn’t play because he’s not here mentally, he wasn’t useful for us today,” Sanchez said. He added that he did not want to discuss departures but acknowledged that the situation could change before the January 31 transfer deadline. The coach emphasized the need for players who are fully focused on the team’s upcoming challenges.
