From shining with Messi at Barcelona to being considered transferable at RB Leipzig for a peculiar request to masseurs

One of the best youth players in the world has an uncertain future. This is Ilaix Moriba, who became Lionel Messi's teammate at Barcelona and in July 2021 the Bundesliga's RB Leipzig bought it for 17.5 million dollars (16 million euros), and then loaned to Valencia until June. However, he would not return to the German club as coach Domenico Tedesco made the cross for some of the Guinean's inappropriate behaviors, one of them unusual.

In the German newspaper Bild states that Moriba “made physiotherapists bring him grapes during massages”, something that filled the DT's patience and therefore did not give him continuity in the team, which after being third in his group in the Champions League, went to the Europa League and now qualified for the quarterfinals, where he will be tested against Italy's Atalanta.

According to the version of the German site, Ilaix is not the only young man with talent that Tedesco doesn't want on his squad because he understands that it generates a bad environment. The Italian-German coach does not intend for next season Brian Brobbey (20-year-old forward on loan to Ajax). In that plan, by the way, Alexander Sorloth would enter, who would return after his loan to Real Sociedad.

Moriba, born in Conakry, Guinea, on January 19, 2003, like many African players who are recruited by European clubs since almost children, arrived at Espanyol in Barcelona at a young age. He showed off at children's matches and soon other clubs had their eye on him and among them the culé team.

At the age of just seven, in 2010 Barcelona incorporated him and played in the club's youth team until Ronald Koeman decided to include him in the main squad during the 2020/21 season. Already with the first team, he played 14 matches, in which he scored a goal and provided three assists. At that time he was Messi's partner. It is a quality steering wheel and due to its position in the field, height and quality it is compared to Paul Pogba. He finally didn't want to renew with Barcelona and left for Leipzig on August 31, 2021. Barcelona secured 10 percent of a future sale.

The good performance of the team under the leadership of Tedesco led the leaders of the German club not to assure it of its continuity and, with this scenario, the German club is looking for a new destination at the wheel of Africa, whose contract with Leipzig will expire in June 2026.

In the German squad there was no continuity and played 6 matches (3 Champions League, 2 in Bundesliga 1 for the Bundesliga Cup). At the end of January 2022 he went on loan to Valencia, where he already played nine matches.

The Guinean was considered one of the best players of his generation, and played against football players older than himself. He stood out at the age of 15 when he scored a hat-trick against Real Madrid U19 at The Cup tournament in Sant Pol de Mar (Barcelona). The highlight was his last goal, which he scored from the middle of the field at the start of the second half.

In January 2019, when his youth contract was about to expire, clubs such as Manchester City and Juventus tried to buy his token, but he eventually signed a record contract, with a salary of more than 550,000 dollars (500,000 euros) and a termination clause set at 110 million dollars (100 million euros). The following season, he debuted with Futbol Club Barcelona B.

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