Barcelona reportedly rejected Espí over €25m price for a backup

Barcelona reportedly considered Carlos Espí too expensive for a place on the bench. Real Madrid paid the fee, put him on theirs and watched him score the winner in his first league appearance. It is far too early to judge the entire transfer, but the opening chapter is already rather awkward for Barça.

According to Cadena SER journalist Sique Rodríguez, the Levante striker was offered to Barcelona before joining Madrid. The club rated him positively but would not commit €25 million to someone who was not expected to start under Hansi Flick. His account was relayed by Barça Universal.

Rodríguez identified Hamza Abdelkarim as Barcelona’s cheaper alternative for the backup striker role. At a reported cost of €1.5 million, the youngster represented a smaller financial gamble. That remains a journalist’s account of Barcelona’s thinking, rather than an explanation issued by the club.

Madrid signed Espí after Gonzalo García left for Fulham. Their official announcement on 30 July confirmed a contract through June 2031. The 21-year-old arrived having scored 20 goals in 66 appearances for Levante.

His first league opportunity came against Espanyol on 22 August. With the game level, Espí came off the bench and eventually pounced on a loose ball following Mbappé’s run into the box. Madrid won 2–1, with the debutant providing the decisive finish. Madrid’s match report records the winner.

Mourinho’s praise afterwards went beyond the goal. He highlighted Espí’s work for the team and a back-to-goal lay-off for Mbappé. The coach explained that Madrid had assessed different profiles when Gonzalo’s departure became a possibility, identifying Espí as an option for exactly this kind of match. Mourinho’s post-match comments.

Refusing to spend €25 million on a substitute is not automatically poor judgment. Hamza also deserves an opportunity before being judged against another club’s signing. Espí has, however, supplied an early reminder that a backup striker does not need to win a starting place to win his team a match. Barcelona got to watch that demonstration from a distance.