Levante clash with star forward over €30m transfer offer as Barcelona watch on

Valencia – Levante UD’s boardroom and their 22-year-old striker Karl Etta Eyong are locked in a public tug-of-war that could shape the club’s January window and the player’s long-term future, with Barcelona among a cluster of elite sides monitoring every development.

Eyong, whose explosive early-season form put him on the radar of the Catalan giants, has not scored since October, yet that drought has done little to cool interest from Camp Nou scouts or from Real Madrid, Manchester United, Arsenal, Everton and Fulham. All six clubs have been in contact with intermediaries over recent weeks, according to multiple sources familiar with the negotiations.

The immediate flashpoint, however, is CSKA Moscow’s €30 million bid. Levante, conscious of the mounting attention and eager to cash in this month, have given the Russian club encouragement that a deal can be completed quickly. Yet Eyong has flatly rejected the move, informing both Levante and CSKA that his intention is to remain in western Europe and assess options in the summer.

Fabrizio Romano confirmed the stand-off on Thursday, revealing that Eyong’s refusal prompted Levante to leave him out of the squad that lost 1-0 to Villarreal at Estadi Ciutat de València 24 hours earlier. The omission, described by club sources as “a footballing decision,” is understood to be a direct consequence of the player’s unwillingness to cooperate with the proposed transfer.

Levante’s hierarchy remain adamant that the €30 million valuation must be met by any suitor, a stance that could price out several English clubs should they firm up interest before the window shuts. Ben Jacobs reports that Eyong’s camp views a summer switch to the Premier League as the most attractive scenario, aligning with the striker’s previously stated ambition to test himself in England.

For Barcelona, the impasse offers both opportunity and complication. Sporting Deco sees Eyong as a low-risk, high-upside target who could be groomed behind first-choice forwards, yet the Blaugrana are unlikely to table an equivalent bid mid-season as they continue to juggle LaLiga’s salary-cap restrictions. Real Madrid hold a similar view, while Premier League scouts will descend on Valencia over the weekend to run the rule over a player whose raw pace and direct running have drawn comparisons to a young Wilfried Zaha.

Unless Eyong softens his stance, Levante risk losing momentum in a relegation battle that has already cost them nine home points this term. Conversely, the Cameroon international is betting that six more months of top-flight exposure will either reignite his goal touch or entice an English club to meet the €30 million asking price.

For now, the stalemate continues: Levante want the cash; Eyong wants the Premier League; and Europe’s heavyweights are happy to wait.