The negotiations between Barcelona and Sergi Roberto for a new contract extension have come to a halt, with no timeframe for when they may resume.
Mundo Deportivo reports that talks have been put on hold, which was confirmed by his agent Josep Maria Orobitg, with the proviso that they may be restarted at any point in the future.
The midfielder’s recent week has been a study in contrasts, as he once again struggled in the Champions League defeat to Benfica and was then benched for the defeat to Atletico Madrid.
The Dutch manager Ronald Koeman continues to see him as a man of confidence. That is despite the fact that he is one of his first choices off the bench, despite his poor performances. However, with his sacking now, things could change.
During the summer transfer window, the Barcelona midfielder was linked with a move elsewhere
Roberto has been the target of the wrath of the Barcelona fans on more than one occasion. In the encounter against Bayern Munich, he was one of the players that were picked out for criticism. He broke down in tears as he walked by the Camp Nou.
He got some encouraging news over the weekend, though, when Luis Enrique announced that he has been called up to the Spain team, despite his inconsistent start to the season. He took over for Brais Mendez, who had taken up for Pedri.
The 29-year-old has been linked with a transfer away from the club before the start of the season. There have been rumours that Manchester City is interested in a potential transfer.
With the fact that negotiations have come to a halt, additional speculations are certain to emerge as the start of the winter transfer season draws near. As a matter of fact, Goal has reported that the City is keeping an eye on his condition.
The term “revolution” has been bandied around in Barcelona over the past couple of seasons, but nothing has materialised as a result. The roster continues to be overinflated, with a number of players who are not performing at the level needed and who are a drain on the club’s financial resources, as previously stated.
A player like Sergi Roberto falls under this category, despite the fact that he has the trust of a lot of coaches. His versatility is both a gift and a burden since he can play various positions on the field. He is capable of filling in when necessary, but he is just mediocre at best.
He is in the last year of his contract, and it seems like the writing is on the wall for him. The only issue is whether Barcelona would attempt to get a transfer price for him in January or if they will allow him to go on a free transfer at the conclusion of the season.
Inclusion in the Spain squad
Sergi Roberto has become the latest Barcelona player to be named to Spain’s team for the Nations League Final Four in October. He was previously named to the squad in March.
The 29-year-old has been called up after Brais Mendez, who had also been called up late to replace Pedri, was forced to withdraw from the team due to an injury sustained while playing for Celta Vigo against Elche on Saturday.
Roberto will be joining fellow Barcelona players Sergio Busquets, Eric Garcia and Gavi in the squad for the semi-final match against Italy on October 6. The victors of this game will go to the final, where they will face either France or Belgium.
Roberto has played a significant role for Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman thus far this season. Aside from the 3-0 victory against Levante, in which he was absent due to sickness, the 29-year-old has appeared in every game this season.
After scoring two goals and providing an assist in his first three games, Roberto’s performances have been less than stellar, which makes Luis Enrique’s decision to bring him up to the first team a bit of a surprise.
