Barcelona eyes Vedat Muriqi if Mallorca relegated

OKDIARIO reported on May 19 that Barcelona are monitoring Mallorca striker Vedat Muriqi as a possible low-cost summer signing if Mallorca are relegated from LaLiga. The report said relegation would cut the price of a deal for the Kosovo international and make him more accessible for Barcelona’s transfer planning. Mallorca lost 2-0 at Levante on May 17, according to LaLiga’s official results page, leaving the club in the relegation picture heading into the final stretch of the season. Barcelona, meanwhile, beat Real Betis 3-1 on the same day, with LaLiga’s standings showing the Catalan club at the top of the table. ### Why is Muriqi being linked to Barcelona now? OKDIARIO said on May 19 that Muriqi is viewed as “a real option” for Barcelona if Mallorca drop into the second division. The report tied that scenario directly to price, saying relegation would make the striker cheaper than he would be if Mallorca stayed up. LaLiga’s official site shows Mallorca were beaten by Levante on May 17, while the standings page lists the relegation zone and the clubs around it. (okdiario.com) That leaves Mallorca’s status unresolved as the season moves toward its last rounds, which is the condition attached to the report. ### What do we know about Muriqi’s current Mallorca situation? Mallorca announced that Muriqi signed a contract extension through 2029. (okdiario.com) In the club’s statement, Mallorca described him as an important figure after his arrival in 2022 and said he had made 188 appearances, with 35 goals and 11 assists at the time of the renewal. Transfermarkt lists Muriqi as a 32-year-old center forward and shows a market value of 4.5 million euros. (laliga.com) The same profile says his contract expires on June 30, 2029. ### How expensive would he be without relegation? OKDIARIO reported in a separate January story that Mallorca would not negotiate Muriqi’s transfer and that any buyer would have to meet a release clause the outlet said was around 50 million euros. (rcdmallorca.es) The report said the clause had never been made official by the club. That earlier figure matters because the May 19 report is built around the idea that relegation would change Mallorca’s leverage. (transfermarkt.com) Neither Barcelona nor Mallorca had publicly confirmed talks in the material reviewed. ### Why would Barcelona be looking for a striker profile like this? OKDIARIO framed the search around Barcelona’s need for a No. 9 and said the club was looking at options for the summer. (okdiario.com) The report presented Muriqi as a lower-cost route if market conditions change because of Mallorca’s league status. Barcelona’s broader financial backdrop has also been under scrutiny. (okdiario.com) The upstream reporting package for this story cited Spanish media reports on May 19 saying Barcelona were close to returning to LaLiga’s 1:1 spending rule, a change that would improve flexibility in registering and replacing players, though that was reported separately from the Muriqi link. ### What happens next in this story? (okdiario.com) LaLiga’s official competition pages will show whether Mallorca stay in the top flight or are relegated, the trigger identified in OKDIARIO’s May 19 report. Barcelona’s summer transfer window decisions would come after that outcome is settled. Muriqi remains under contract with Mallorca until 2029, according to the club, so any move would still depend on Mallorca’s final league position and the terms available once the season ends. (okdiario.com) (rcdmallorca.es) (laliga.com)