Barcelona had a simple solution on the table.
Marc Casado could have moved to Saudi Arabia, with interest from Al Hilal opening the door to a deal that may have brought in close to €40 million.
For Barcelona, selling a La Masia graduate for that kind of money would have been a clean piece of business and a welcome boost as they continue to manage their finances and squad.
Casado, though, had other ideas.
As reported before, the Barcelona midfielder has made staying in Europe his priority, despite the financial appeal of Saudi football.
As a result, his representatives need to find a European club willing to meet the conditions of a permanent transfer, and with the market moving quickly, Jorge Mendes has been given plenty to do.
Casado’s decision has complicated Barcelona’s plans
Understandably, for Barcelona, the Saudi option made sense.
Casado is not interested in Saudi Arabia move. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
The club is understood to be looking for more than €30 million, while a sale would also represent a significant financial gain given Casado’s journey through La Masia.
Al Hilal and Al Ahli offered the possibility of pushing the fee even higher, but a transfer cannot be decided by the selling club alone.
Casado wants to choose the next step of his career carefully and, at this stage, does not see Saudi Arabia as the right move, leaving Barcelona waiting for the European market to provide an answer.
Casado has two suitors
Now, as per SPORT, Benfica are one of the clubs now being considered.
The Portuguese side need midfield reinforcement, and Mendes is working on the possibility of taking Casado to Lisbon.
He was not their first choice, but circumstances could yet make him a more attractive option.
Furthermore, Nottingham Forest have also remained in the picture.
Casado currently has two suitors. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
The Premier League club spoke with Barcelona earlier in the summer, although the figures discussed at the time failed to satisfy the Catalan side.
With Casado’s future still unresolved, there is room for those conversations to begin again.
Jorge Mendes faces the task of finding right fit
The situation is delicate because everyone involved wants something slightly different.
Barcelona want a permanent sale and a fee that reflects Casado’s value. The midfielder wants a competitive European project where he can continue playing at a high level.
Notably, AC Milan were another avenue explored by the agent, but the Italian side is not interested in pursuing a deal at this point in the window.
That leaves Benfica and Nottingham Forest as the most concrete possibilities for now.