Will Barcelona Offload Struggling Oriol Romeu Just After Six Months?

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Barcelona midfielder Oriol Romeu is attracting interest from several clubs in this winter window, although manager Xavi may not let the midfielder leave easily.

Romeu joined the club for €3.4m from Girona during the summer on a two-year deal. He was signed with the difficult task of covering the departure of star midfielder Sergio Busquets in a deep-lying midfielder role.

While he was only a budget signing there were still some expectations. With half the season gone, it is now fair to say he has done little to make a name for himself in that area.

The 32-year-old has been massively inconsistent and has failed to cement his position in the line-up. During the absence of Frenkie De Jong, his performance was not up to the mark which saw the likes of Ikay Gundogan and even defender Andreas Christensen filling up in that position.

With the midfielder just managing 1130 minutes of the game, mostly in cup competition, there are rumors of Barcelona selling him as early as January. It is understood that Romeu is attracting interest from Girona and Getafe, as well as Turkish giants Besiktas.

However, the latest rumor has suggested that despite the drudgery Barcelona will not let him leave in January. Manager Xavi reportedly regards him as a crucial member of the staff and a player who offers depth to the team.

So until there's any big offer arrives, the 32-year-old is likely to remain at Camp Nou, at least till summer.