Ilaix Moriba maybe doesn’t want media attention, but his actions seems to provoke it. In the middle of his contract affair with Barcelona, the current U-19 Spanish midfielder decided to switch alliances and join his native country, Guinea. And that is, by far the biggest indication that his ‘marriage’ with Barcelona is about to end. Why else would he stopped playing for Spain? He was a regular with the ‘La Furia Roja’. In fact, he went through the U-16, the U-17 (with whom he played the World Cup in Brazil) until he reached the U-19. What’s more, he was close last season to making his U21 debut. Ilaix was born in Conakry in 2003, and arrived in Spain as a kid and acquired Spanish nationality. In 2017, Moriba had received an offer to join Guinea for the U16 team, but turned down the offer to play for the Spanish team representing them at the U17 World Cup.Quran was the key for Moriba’s first Barca contract, but it won’t help this timeSo, Barcelona youngster had an opportunity to play for his native country, but refused, and now, he had a change of heart. Moriba’s father confirmed his son’s decision on Saturday to Cadena SER ahead of Barcelona’s La Liga clash with Athletic. His father has met with representatives from the country and they took that decision. Off course, a player can always have a change of heart but let’s look this decision from another angle. Apart from RB Leipzig, the only club to submit an offer so far, Chelsea and Manchester City are other suitors for the youngster. And after Brexit, footballers who want to play in England must present a certificate, a kind of work permit based on a points system. These points – 15 are needed – will be awarded for having played games with the national team and with the lower categories of the same, for the quality of the player’s former team, based on the league he is in, his position in the league and their progress in continental competitions, and, as a third criterion, the games played with the club, as reported by the EFE Agency.Ilaix #Moriba has decided to leave Barcelona. The club is looking to sell him this transfer window, otherwise he will watch football from the stands. His agents say they have 12 proposals already, with Liverpool and Arsenal the latest teams to join the race.— @_AdrianSnchz pic.twitter.com/uSqtOU0BFi— Barca Media 🎙 (@BarcaMedia) August 17, 2021 Moriba nearly left Barcelona at the age of 16, when City desperately tried to snatch him, but his father had a good relationship with former Barca secretary Eric Abidal (both are devoted Muslims), and Ilaix signed the contract and stayed at Camp Nou. It seems that this time, the Citizens will get their player, either before August 31st for a fee, or in June 2022 for free. Meanwhile, Moriba could be called up for World Cup qualifiers later this week with Guinea set to play Morocco and Guinea Bissau in September.
