Barcelona has officially confirmed their first significant signing of the summer transfer window, bringing in RB Leipzig midfielder Dani Olmo on a six-year contract. According to Transfermarkt, the Spanish international joined the club in a deal initially valued at €55 million, with potential add-ons that could raise the total to €60 million. If all add-ons are met, Olmo would become Barcelona’s joint-eighth most expensive signing, surpassing Raphinha’s €58 million move from Leeds United and matching Miralem Pjanic’s €60 million transfer from Juventus.
This signing is a relief for Barcelona fans, especially after the club missed out on Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, who recently confirmed his decision to stay with the Basque club for another season through a social media post. “I’m back! I’m really looking forward to this season. Vamos, Athletic!” Williams said, effectively ruling out a move to Barcelona. As a result, Olmo might be the only major addition to Hansi Flick’s squad ahead of the 2024/25 season. Although Olmo showcased his talent during Euro 2024 with three goals and two assists in six games for Spain, there are some concerns about whether he can be a reliable player for Barcelona as they aim to regain their place at the top.
For fans familiar with the Bundesliga, Olmo’s impressive performances at the European championships and Barcelona’s interest in him aren’t surprising. The Spanish midfielder has been delivering standout performances for RB Leipzig over the past five seasons. In 107 appearances for the German club, Olmo recorded 17 goals and 24 assists, averaging 0.57 goals and assists per 90 minutes in league play. His consistent displays attracted attention from several top clubs, including Manchester City and Bayern Munich. However, a particular issue may have limited Olmo’s appeal to other European giants, which hindered his progress during his time in Germany.
Dani Olmo’s injury challenges have been a significant issue in German football, with the player missing as many as 68 games for RB Leipzig over the last three seasons. Although he has played 6,436 minutes of Bundesliga football since joining Leipzig, this accounts for just 38% of the total league minutes he could have participated in over his five and a half seasons at the club. While not all of this time on the sidelines is due to injuries—some of it is because he was benched or left out of matchday squads—it’s still a striking statistic for someone considered one of Leipzig’s top players.
Given this background, Olmo’s impressive performances for Spain this summer highlight the potential he holds and the player he could become for Barcelona if he can overcome his injury issues. After moving to Germany, his market value quickly rose to €50 million, but it has since fluctuated between €40 million and €50 million over the past few years. This is largely because injuries tend to interrupt his promising runs of form. To become one of Europe’s top players, Olmo will need to put his injury problems behind him in LaLiga. Only then will fans be able to consistently witness his true capabilities.
