Barcelona could receive sell-on fee from sale of ex-star as Bundesliga giants keen on signing player: Reports

Barcelona could potentially receive a sell-on fee for the sale of former player Mikayil Faye, with Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen looking to sign him. The 20-year-old defender plays for Rennes in Ligue 1, and his 10 appearances in all competitions this season have shown Leverkusen his talents.

The youngster came through Senegal as a youth, joining Croatian outfit Kustosija with his first professional contract. Barca sighted him and quickly signed him in 2023 for just €1.5 million. However, they eventually let him leave in August 2024, with Rennes paying €10.3 million for his services.

According to reports (via Barca Universal), at the time of this move, Rennes agreed to a deal that saw Barcelona reserve a €25 million buyback clause. Another clause was included in the deal - a sell-on fee of 30%. This means that, whatever the French outfit sells him for, Barca will be entitled to nearly a third of the amount.

Now, reports have emerged from Fabrizio Romano (via Barca Universal) that Bayer Leverkusen have shown interest in the defender. With Faye's contract at Rennes expiring in 2028, the French side have the upper hand in any negotiations with interested parties. This could see them receive a sizeable profit for their centre-back.

With Barcelona's 30% sell-on clause in place, this will provide a windfall for the Blaugrana, who have struggled with financial difficulties in recent years.

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Barcelona president defends himself after registration debacle, slams "clear attack" from LaLiga

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has defended himself, following the serious struggles to register Dani Olmo and Pau Victor earlier this January. Both players had been signed last summer, but Barca's financial difficulties saw them only complete a temporary registration for the duo.

This registration expired at the turn of the new year, and the club have had to sell VIP seats at Camp Nou, despite the stadium still undergoing reconstruction. A temporary measure was eventually given for the two players to get registered, as Barca returned to some financial stability. In a press conference afterward, Laporta said (via SuperSport):

"Nothing which has happened in these last weeks regarding the registrations has surprised us. If you look at Barca's history you can expect these reactions, it's not just by chance that when Barcelona are rising, various parties unite to tell a tale that is not true at all."

He further claimed that they were under attack from La Liga, while rejecting calls to step down as club president:

"I don't think a Barca president should step down because of a decision from LaLiga. This was a clear attack to destabilise us before the Super Cup which we all wanted to win..."

Barcelona went on to win the Super Cup, beating Real Madrid 5-2 on January 12 in Saudi Arabia.