Barcelona have the option to re-sign Chelsea midfielder Oriol Romeu until the summer of 2013, Mundo Deportivo claims.
The Spain Under-21 international joined the Premier League side in the summer in a deal worth €5 million, and has managed to earn a place in Andre Villas-Boas’ squad, with 12 appearances to date in all competitions.
Villas-Boas denied on Monday that Barcelona have the ability to re-sign the midfielder for a pre-arranged fee, stating that the transfer would always have to meet Chelsea’s approval.
However, Mundo Deportivo cites Barcelona sources, who insist that Romeu’s contract contains a €10m buy-back clause after 2011-12, and a similar €15m clause at the end of the following season.
This means that Chelsea’s only chance of holding on to Romeu – if Barca want to re-sign the 20-year-old – is if the midfielder snubs a return to Camp Nou, where he made just one league appearance at senior level.