How Barcelona could profit from Man City interest in La Liga centre-back

Manchester City's interest in Las Palmas defender Mika Marmol could end up financially benefitting Barcelona due to them retaining a stake in the former La Masia player.

Marmol started his football journey in Barca's famed academy as early as 2006, before taking his junior career to other local clubs and returning a decade later aged 17. He then played more than 60 times for Barcelona B and once for the first-team before a permanent exit in 2022.

Switching from Gerard Pique's Andorra, the 22-year-old has started 26 of 28 La Liga for a Las Palmas side impressing on their return to the top flight this season and on course for a top half finish. As such, Marca has reported that Manchester City have been in touch with his agent.

City's strategy is claimed to be signing Marmol but allowing him to continue developing elsewhere on loan. It is not clear if that would be at another club within the City Football Group, with Girona also a potential suitor, or if he could actually remain with Las Palmas in that scenario.

Barca are not thought to have any plans to re-sign Marmol themselves – the emergence of centre-back Pau Cubarsi in recent months is an exciting development back in Catalonia – but would profit from a sale.

Even with Marmol having passed through Andorra, they retained 50% of his rights when he joined Las Palmas for just €1.5m back in mid-August. The club therefore stand to take a big cut of any sale amount. Las Palmas could even jack up the price knowing they could lose half the money.

So far this season, Marmol's defence with the island club has conceded fewer La Liga goals (31) than Barcelona (34) and surprise title challengers Girona (33), and the same as Atletico Madrid.

READ THE LATEST TRANSFER NEWS & GOSSIP FROM AROUND THE WORLD