EURO 2024Barca strike back over Oriol
Posted Thursday, December 15, 2011 by The Sun
BARCELONA have fiercely disputed claims that Oriol Romeu is at Chelsea for keeps.
And they have reminded Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas that Romeu had a buy-back clause inserted in his contract when he left the Nou Camp.
In fact the Catalan giants insist they can re-sign the midfielder, who left Barca for £4.35million in August, for £9.5m next summer or £13m the following year.
Their reaction came after Villas-Boas suggested Romeu's long-term future is at Stamford Bridge whether Barcelona want him back or not.
AVB, 34, had said: "The option states that Barca can only buy back if Chelsea agree to sell.
"There's always time needed for you to adapt to the Premier League but Oriol and Juan Mata, who we signed from Valencia, have adapted pretty well."
Romeu, 20, started his fifth consecutive game in the holding midfield position for Chelsea in Monday's 2-1 home win over Manchester City.
But a Barcelona source insisted: "The future of Oriol is in our hands and not Chelsea's.
"We could re-sign the kid in accordance with the deal and do not understand what Villas-Boas is saying.
"We are not at all surprised by Oriol's good Premier League displays.
"He is a player with a great future and we watch his progress day by day, week to week."
To avoid any further controversy over Oriol's future, Barca have sent a note of confirmation to Chelsea chiefs.
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