Barcelona can re-sign former La Masia winger for €12 million but have major doubts

Barcelona’s summer rebuild is gathering pace behind the scenes and, according to SPORT, one name back on the table is 19-year-old Jan Virgili—the wide player the club sold to RCD Mallorca last July for roughly €4 million. A combination of contractual levers means the Catalans could bring the winger home for about €12 million, a steep discount on the €30 million release clause that Mallorca have since inserted in his deal.

The numbers stack up because Barça retained two key advantages when they sanctioned the transfer: 40 per cent of any future profit and a right of first refusal. With Mallorca fielding offers and Virgili’s valuation rising after 25 senior appearances and six assists this season, the reigning Liga champions are mathematically protected and can match any bid for a cut-price fee.

Inside Spotify Camp Nou the player’s development is being followed closely. Deco’s scouting department has delivered a broadly positive report, praising Virgili’s direct dribbling and willingness to take on full-backs. Yet the technical staff remain split. The winger’s February 2026 cameo against his former employers crystallised the dilemma: he tormented Jules Kounde for half an hour before fading badly, a pattern staff fear could become habitual.

Coaches also question the defensive output that would be required if Virgili were eventually asked to succeed Raphinha on the left of Hansi Flick’s 4-2-3-1. The teenager’s pressing numbers and tracking back are described as “inconsistent at best,” a red flag for a club that defends collectively from the front. Comparisons have inevitably been drawn with Marcus Rashford, whose loan from Manchester United carries a €30 million purchase option. Rashford’s industry without the ball is hardly elite, but his aerial presence gives Barcelona another dimension—something Virgili has yet to demonstrate.

Personal relations add another layer of uncertainty. Negotiations last summer were not entirely smooth, and some decision-makers are reluctant to re-open a chapter that ended in a parting of ways only ten months ago. For now Virgili sits on a growing list of left-sided targets that also includes Nordsjælland’s Andreas Schjelderup and Victor Munoz of Zaragoza.

With the club prioritising a top-tier centre-back and a proven goal-scorer, the wing may ultimately be addressed through the cheapest viable solution. Whether that solution is the home-grown talent they already cashed in on remains, at best, a 50-50 proposition.