"I want to play with players like Lewandowski" - Dani Olmo speaks out after completing Barcelona move
Dani Olmo has expressed his desire to play with top players at Barcelona after completing a summer transfer from RB Leipzig. The Blaugranas have signed him in a reported €60 million deal, with his contract containing a mammoth €500 million release clause.
Olmo is a Barca youth academy product, having spent seven years in La Masia after joining them from RCD Espanyol in 2007. He didn't make a single senior appearance for them, but he would have played with some of the club's future senior stars back then.
Speaking after his move was made official, Olmo, who has penned a six-year deal, remarked (via @BarcaUniversal):
"I have already played with many Barça players. There is a lot of quality here, I want to play with players like Lewandowski, I am ready to contribute."
Robert Lewandowski is one of the Barcelona superstars that new manager Hansi Flick has at his disposal. The 35-year-old goal machine still has two years left on his contract, and can expect to feature prominently alongside Barca's latest signing in attack.
Olmo spent five and a half years at Dinamo Zagreb before RB Leipzig decided to splash €35 million on him in January 2020. He gradually became a star in Germany, registering 29 goals and 34 assists in 148 appearances across competitions.
Barcelona's new star Dani Olmo dazzled for Spain at Euro 2024
Dani Olmo was one of the three Golden Boot winners at the recently-concluded UEFA Euro 2024. He netted thrice in Germany, with all three goals coming in crucial knockout matches.
The 26-year-old scored a goal in a rather easy 4-1 win against Georgia in the last 16. He then starred in a 2-1 (A.E.T) quarter-final win over Germany with a goal and an assist before scoring in a 2-1 semi-final triumph against France.
The 39-cap Spain international played the full 90 minutes in the final against England, where his team repeated the scoreline of their last three matches in a famous win. This wasn't his first rodeo in the Euros as well.
Olmo was also a regular feature in the 2020 edition, where he grabbed three assists before his team were sent packing in the semifinals on penalties by Italy.