Barcelona rekindle interest in signing 21-year-old La Liga star following failed transfer pursuit in the past: Reports

Barcelona have rekindled their interest in signing 21-year-old La Liga defender Omar El Halili this summer. This comes after the Blaugrana pushed hard, but eventually failed to sign him in the past.

The full-back broke through the Espanyol academy back in 2020, before becoming a first-team regular in 2021. He has since grown into a quality player for the La Liga outfit, while turning out for Morocco's U23 side.

Back in December 2024, Omar El Halili told Spanish outlet AS about Barca's interest to sign him and his eventual decision to join Espanyol (via Barca Universal):

“I had the opportunity to choose between Barça and Espanyol, and I chose Espanyol because I felt that it had to be that way, and my family also thought it was the best thing for me. It was the sporting project I wanted. And I think I made the right choice, because now I am living a dream."

He also spoke about Manchester United's interest in his services, revealing Barca's further push to sign him down the line:

“They [Manchester United] wanted me, just as Barça tried to sign me again, but I was very clear that I wanted to stay at Espanyol. Sometimes money can make you doubt, but that was not the case for me, because I knew what I wanted. I preferred to follow my heart, I felt that I had to stay here."

Now, according to a report from SPORT (via Barca Universal), El Halili remains on Barcelona's radar. However, it is worth noting that La Blaugrana have placed other players ahead of the full-back on their list of priorities, making a move rather unlikely in the coming summer.

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Barcelona show strong interest in Vallecano defender

While Barcelona are interested in El Halili, the player sitting on top of their transfer priorities is Rayo Vallecano full-back Andrei Ratiu. The Blaugrana hierarchy are believed to regard him highly, viewing him as an experienced solution in right-back.

According to a report from Cadena SER (via Barca Universal), the Romania international was discussed during a conversation between Barca and Pedri's agents. The two players work with the same agency, and sporting director Deco is believed to have used the opportunity to ask about Ratiu.

The 26-year-old has a release clause of reported €25 million, making him a fairly affordable option for Barcelona. However, they will need to move quickly, as clubs across Europe - Bayer Leverkusen, Tottenham Hotspur, and others - continue to monitor Ratiu's situation at Vallecano.