An insight into the reasoning behind the decision of the powers that be at Spanish giants Barcelona not to follow through on their January interest in Dion Lopy with a formal offer has today been provided.
The info comes courtesy of Mundo Deportivo, who have provided an update on developments behind the scenes in Catalunya’s capital.
The name of midfielder Lopy has of course found itself front and centre in the headlines in Spain over the course of the last week.
This comes after word was forthcoming that the 22-year-old had been identified as a chief January target on the part of heavyweights Barcelona.
A near-sole shining light in a relegation-bound Almería outfit across the season to date, Lopy’s performances piqued the attentions of Deco and the transfer team at Barca.
Amid their ongoing search for reinforcements at the base of departing boss Xavi’s midfield, the Blaugrana earmarked the Senegalese as a potential low-risk, high-reward addition.
So, just why did a winter deal ultimately fail to come to fruition?
As per the aforementioned MD, first and foremost came a ‘technical issue’.
Before moving forward with a formal proposal for Lopy, representatives from Barcelona are understood to have made contact with several of his former clubs.
‘And the reports they received about Lopy were not entirely satisfactory.’
After collective doubt surrounding the former Reims star’s readiness to reinforce the midfield of one of the continent’s biggest clubs made its way to the boardroom, Deco and co. came to the decision to take a step back.
And as much was only reinforced upon word of the financial outlay set to be required to coax Almería into a sale surfacing.
After learning of Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt seeing a €15 million bid rejected by the La Liga basement dwellers, Barca pulled the plug on their pursuit entirely, deeming it ‘too risky an investment’.
Conor Laird | GSFN
