Barça has announced this Monday the signing of Ona Batlle, a player for whom the Blaugrana club has longed for years. The Catalan winger, who has been playing at a high level in the English Premier League for three seasons, arrives free from Manchester United and signs until 2026.
“It has always been my dream to reach the Barça first team. It is true that I left at the time, but always with the mentality of returning. I really want to share changing rooms and experiences with my new teammates. I have always had Barça in the heart”, Batlle explained to the club’s media after signing his new Barça contract.
The signing of Vilassar de Mar has been possible after the player was left out of the compensation lists, a kind of clause that forced Barça to pay 500,000 euros for training rights, the highest figure in European football in this concept. This payment is made by the soccer players who are up to 23 years old and Batlle is already 24 years old.
For this reason, Barça could not face the return of Batlle when his contract with Levante ended in 2020. The defense was formed at the Blaugrana entity, but in 2017, at just 18 years old, he signed for Madrid CFF, a recently promoted to the First Division. “When I left, I didn’t know what life was. I’m still young, but now I have much more experience. When I left, I was a girl,” he said.
“I’ve been traveling around the world, I’ve been very happy in England, but I’m very happy to continue my career at home. My challenge is to be at the team’s level and contribute,” added Batlle, excited about her new stage. The player will reinforce the two full-backs of the Barça team, since she can play for both bands. She will fight for a starting position on the right with the English Lucy Bronze and on the left with the Swedish Fridolina Rolfö, a winger who has acted as a defender in recent times.
Batlle has rejected a higher financial offer from Manchester United, according to English media, for wearing the Barça shirt again. “Fighting for this team is the greatest thing. I’ll give my all for the team and I’ll enjoy it, which is the most important thing in football,” he concluded.
