FC Barcelona transfer: Morata says Xavi pushed a 2022-23 move that failed

Spanish striker Álvaro Morata says he was close to an FC Barcelona transfer after direct talks with then-manager Xavi Hernández during the 2022-2023 season while he was on loan at Juventus. Morata says Xavi believed his high-pressing style fit Barcelona’s system and that Morata was open to leaving Juventus; he even told Massimiliano Allegri he wanted out. However, the FC Barcelona transfer never progressed into formal negotiations, and no detailed financial terms were discussed before the window closed. Xavi had publicly indicated interest in Morata back in December 2023, but Morata’s account adds new detail about the approach being made directly from Xavi. The article also frames the failed FC Barcelona transfer within the club’s severe financial constraints and La Liga salary-cap pressure after major departures. For traders, this is an off-field football development with no direct link to crypto fundamentals, so any market reaction would likely be limited to broader sentiment rather than token-specific drivers.