Deco’s dinner with Olmo and Joan García’s agents signals Barça push for Olmo; meniscus update on Espanyol keeper

Deco met in Barcelona with Juanma López and Andy Bara, the representatives of Dani Olmo and Joan García, to review two hot files: Olmo’s future and the Espanyol goalkeeper’s recent meniscus injury. Sources close to the talks indicate Barcelona are intensifying their pursuit of Olmo, a La Masia alumnus thriving at RB Leipzig, while also gathering clarity on García’s recovery timeline. President Joan Laporta’s strong relationship with both agents greased the wheels in a calm yet purposeful summit. The mood: confident about Olmo, pragmatic about the goalkeeper’s setback, and fully aligned on next steps.

Late-night dinner in Barcelona between sporting director Deco and agents Juanma López (Dani Olmo) and Andy Bara (Joan García). The agenda focused on Olmo’s status at RB Leipzig and García’s meniscus injury, with President Joan Laporta maintaining close ties to both representatives. Barcelona have tracked Olmo since his La Masia days and have kept regular contact with his camp. García’s situation was reviewed to understand the severity and potential market implications. The meeting setting was private, informal, and pointed toward concrete follow-up actions in the coming windows.

❗️ Yesterday, Deco dined in Barcelona with Juanma López and Andy Bara, the agents of Dani Olmo and Joan García, to review Olmo’s current status and discuss the goalkeeper’s recent meniscus injury. President Joan Laporta, who maintains a strong relationship with both agents, was

@Barca_Buzz

Impact Analysis

Dani Olmo is exactly the profile Hansi Flick’s Barcelona crave: a high-IQ, press-resistant technician who can operate as an interior 8, a false winger, or a roaming 10. His ability to receive on the half-turn, eliminate pressure with a single touch, and create overloads between the lines dovetails with the roles often asked of Pedri and Gündoğan—while also offering a direct goal threat from the right half-space that complements Lamine Yamal’s gravity. In transition, Olmo is diligent without the ball and sharp in counter-pressing triggers, which fits Flick’s vertical rest-defense principles.

Financially, the buyout window once linked to Olmo has elapsed, but Leipzig are historically pragmatic sellers for fair market value when a player signals a clear preference. Barcelona’s route is likely a layered structure: fixed fee plus performance add-ons, and a staggered payment calendar aligned with La Liga’s squad cost controls. There’s also the intangible: Olmo’s La Masia DNA and tactical bilingualism—Bundesliga tempo married with Barça positional discipline—minimizes adaptation risk and maximizes day-one impact.

On Joan García, an active meniscus issue changes goalkeeper market calculus across the city. For Espanyol, it’s a destabilizer just as García’s stock has been rising; for Barça, it dampens any immediate cross-town opportunism between the posts and may redirect attention toward internal solutions. In short: Olmo looks like fast-track business, García’s timeline injects uncertainty into any keeper-related plots.

Reaction

Fan chatter lit up quickly. Optimists read Deco’s dinner as a green light: “We’re definitely winning today,” one jubilant voice cheered, projecting that same energy onto the Olmo pursuit. Others, more guarded, questioned whether a star arriving could unsettle minutes for incumbents—“Did he ask for more playing time?” a skeptical take argued, worrying about hierarchy and promises.

Transfer hawks drew lines to broader dominoes: the “Bernardo Silva contractual situation” was invoked as a potential ripple that could reshape Barça’s midfield priorities. Meanwhile, a separate thread poked fun at the optics—“Laporta missing dinner?”—even as most acknowledged the president’s strong rapport with both agents is precisely why this meeting matters.

On the injury side, rival-leaning voices sounded almost gleeful about Espanyol’s misfortune, predicting a long layoff for Joan García and its knock-on effects. Barça-centric feeds, however, kept the focus on Olmo’s versatility and immediate fit under Flick, with a side note of relief that Alejandro Balde’s medical clearance adds thrust on the left flank should any deal accelerate in winter or next summer. Net sentiment: bullish on Olmo, fatalistic on García’s availability.

Social reactions

Pre-match lunch between the board of two clubs. Laporta 🤝 Nasser Al-Khelaifi

BarçaTimes (@BarcaTimes)

✅ 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐣𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐝𝐞 gets medical clearance and is included in the squad for #BarçaPSG! ⚡

FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)

Did he ask for more playing time this time? Man, i can't I will lose all respect for him with things like these 😭 Fight for your place damnitt, don't ask your agent to hold your hands ! God sees everything !!

Forca Barca (@ForcaBa38584451)

Prediction

Barcelona will move assertively. Expect a two-lane strategy: open formal talks with RB Leipzig before the winter window to define price parameters, then pursue either a January strike (if outgoing sales or salary reductions unlock room) or a pre-agreement for summer. The structure should feature a moderate base fee, Champions League and appearance-linked add-ons, and a staggered schedule aligned with La Liga’s financial guardrails. Personal terms won’t be a problem—Olmo’s camp has long viewed a return as a career-aligned step.

Competition will lurk—top Premier League sides monitor Olmo cyclically—but Barça’s relational capital, plus the player’s stylistic fit and cultural roots, tilt the field their way. If Leipzig open the door, Barcelona are positioned to walk through it quickly.

As for Joan García, the meniscus setback likely sidelines him for a meaningful stretch, pushing concrete decisions to a later window and elevating Espanyol’s short-term risk between the posts. Barça, reading the room, will prioritize Olmo and keep the keeper market on a low simmer—scouting, not spending—until the medical picture clears.

Latest today

• Man United takeover talk heats up: UAE interest, £5bn valuation and a clause that could test Ratcliffe Man United takeover talk heats up: UAE interest, £5bn valuation and a clause that could test Ratcliffe
• Frenkie de Jong Starts for Netherlands vs Malta as Barcelona 2029 Renewal Nears Frenkie de Jong Starts for Netherlands vs Malta as Barcelona 2029 Renewal Nears
• Official: Andreas Christensen starts for Denmark vs Belarus Official: Andreas Christensen starts for Denmark vs Belarus
• Real Madrid add Marc Guéhi to CB shortlist: perfect fit and a move that feels inevitable Real Madrid add Marc Guéhi to CB shortlist: perfect fit and a move that feels inevitable

Conclusion

Deco’s dinner wasn’t a courtesy call; it was acceleration. With Laporta’s trusted relationships smoothing the process, Barcelona now sit in the driver’s seat for Dani Olmo—an elegant, press-proof connector who can raise the collective ceiling from day one under Hansi Flick. The economics won’t be trivial, but the fit is too clean and the player’s intent too aligned for this to fizzle. All roads point to Barça pushing a concrete framework before winter and sealing the trajectory no later than summer.

On the other front, Joan García’s meniscus issue dampens immediacy and injects volatility into Espanyol’s plans. Any short-term poaching ideas fade in the face of medical uncertainty, and Barça will wisely allocate energy where the upside is clear. Bottom line: expect the Olmo file to move from dinner-table consensus to boardroom execution, while the goalkeeper conversation pauses until the scans and timelines stabilize.