Manchester United's chances of signing Dani Olmo on a free transfer from Barcelona could receive a significant boost on Friday, according to reports in Spain.
Olmo's future has been the subject of intense speculation in recent weeks amid claims he could leave Barcelona in January, less than six months after signing for the Catalan club.
Olmo was a £50m signing from RB Leipzig in the summer but could only be registered on a temporary arrangement until the end of the calendar year, due to the ongoing financial difficulties at Barcelona.
The La Liga side were only able to register Olmo within the La Liga salary cap after a long-term injury to Andreas Christensen, with rules stating that 80 per cent of an injured player's salary can be reallocated for a new squad member.
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Olmo's six-month temporary contract is due to expire on December 31, meaning he could potentially leave as a free agent if Spain's football federation continue to block his registration for the second half of the season.
Barcelona have instigated legal proceedings against La Liga, and Spanish outlet SPORT [via the Daily Mail] claim that a verdict is expected to be reached by a judge on Friday to determine if Olmo and fellow summer signing Pau Victor can play in the second half of the campaign.
The Commercial Court of Barcelona heard from Barcelona and La Liga last Monday, with the league arguing that the Catalan giants still need to generate more income to register the two players in order to comply with financial regulations.
Barcelona are hoping that a contract for the sale of VIP seats at the Nou Camp, valued at £166million (€200m), could be enough to register the two players ahead of the deadline on January 1.
If Friday's ruling goes against Barcelona, it could open the door for both Olmo and Victor to leave the club.
Olmo's priority has always been to stay with Barcelona but the uncertainty surrounding his contract has forced his agent Andy Bara to begin exploring potential moves, according to the Mail.
Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal have all registered an interest, and Bara was spotted in Manchester earlier this week - later telling the Mail that he was on his "holidays".
Bara is owner of Niagara Sports Company - one of the biggest agencies in the world – and represents several top players including Olmo and Spain captain Alvaro Morata.
He also played a role in Josko Gvardiol's £77m move from RB Leipzig to Manchester City in 2023.
Whether Olmo makes a similar move to the Premier League next month, remains to be seen.
Topics: Manchester United, Barcelona, Transfer News, Premier League, La Liga
Rory O'Callaghan