Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado agrees summer exit after falling to fifth-choice under Hansi Flick

Despite showing promise during his first four years in the Barca senior squad, La Masia graduate Casado has struggled to convince Flick that he deserves a starting role in the current setup. The German coach has prioritised high-intensity players who fit his vertical system, and the 22-year-old has found himself on the fringes of the matchday squad more often than not recently.

According to MARCA, Casado has effectively fallen to fifth-choice in the midfield pecking order. With the likes of Pedri, Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, and Marc Bernal all ahead of him – and the club monitoring further reinforcements in the transfer market – the youngster has privately acknowledged that his development has stalled at the Spotify Camp Nou.

Marca claims that Barcelona’s sporting department and super-agent Mendes have already held definitive meetings to establish the exact economic frameworks for the player’s exit. The club has slapped a valuation of approximately €25 million on the defensive midfielder – a noticeable decrease from the premium price tag he commanded last summer, reflecting his reduced minutes on the pitch.

Eager to maximise their financial flexibility, Barcelona's executive board is pushing aggressively to finalise a permanent sale before June 30 in order to balance their accounts for the current financial year. However, a loan structure has not been completely ruled out, as the player has always been receptive to that formula.

Mendes has been working quietly behind the scenes for several weeks to map out a landing spot for his client and currently holds two concrete proposals on his desk - Marca adds. The first offer stems from an unnamed European club capable of offering top-flight football, while the second is a highly lucrative contract proposal from the Saudi Pro League.

Both interested parties are prepared to meet Barcelona's financial demands, putting the final decision regarding lifestyle and sporting projects entirely in Casado's hands as negotiation rounds intensify.

During the 2024-25 campaign, Casado made 36 appearances across all competitions, clocking 2,447 minutes and directly contributing to seven goals (scoring one and providing six assists). In contrast, his involvement dropped last season, where he featured in 34 matches with a total of 1,397 minutes, registering just a single assist.