Barcelona Transfer News: Dissecting Martin Montoya January Rumours

The rumours regarding a transfer move for Barcelona's Martin Montoya during the upcoming January transfer window continue to swirl, and with just days to go before the window opens, it's becoming harder to separate fact from fiction.

According to the latest reports, Italian champions Juventus are the most eager suitors regarding a permanent move in January, with Catalan-based Sport (h/t Barcastuff) claiming Bianconeri officials are set to travel to Spain to open negotiations:

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Juventus representatives will travel to Barcelona after holidays to discuss Montoya transfer. Offer 4-year deal. Barcelona want 20M. [sport]

— barcastuff (@barcastuff) December 25, 2014"

Sport Mediaset, via AS, know that the 23-year-old has already told Juventus he's open to such a move:

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According to Italian portal, Sport Mediaset, Montoya has given an affirmative answer to the Italian club who have offered him a four year contract although a loan move hasn’t been ruled out. Juve are more in favour of a loan deal initially, but Barça are pushing for a firm sale of the player.

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Those reports suggest that a sale of the full-back once expected to be a Barcelona regular for the next decade is imminent, bringing an end to a transfer saga that started last summer.

New manager Luis Enrique has stuck with veteran Dani Alves as his starter at right-back, as expected, but has consistently refused to give Montoya any regular minutes. He was passed over to be the primary backup in favour of transfer flop Douglas and Adriano, a more natural fit on the left wing.

According to WhoScored.com Montoya has started just two La Liga matches all year, and he was often forced to watch from the bench or the stands as Alves' age started to show; as Douglas confirmed why many frowned when the Catalans acquired him; and as Adriano was solid in a handful of outings, but little more.

Montoya has voiced his disapproval on multiple occasions, with Enrique telling the youngster to wait his turn each and every time. Enrique's reluctance to play Montoya indicated that he simply doesn't rate the right-back, and the player soon started asking for a transfer.

As shared by Sergi Dominguez, that continues to be the message Montoya's camp is putting out these days—the defender is leaving, period:

Under normal circumstances, the situation would be quite clear. Enrique doesn't want to play Montoya, and the player wants to leave, so let's start listening to transfer offers. Unfortunately, Barcelona's transfer embargo complicates things.

The CAS still haven't made a decision on whether or not the Catalans' punishment will be reduced, and until that happens, the Blaugrana don't know whether they'll be able to replace any departing players. According to Mundo Deportivo (h/t Barcastuff), that decision will impact the future of Montoya:

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If Barcelona's two-window transfer ban is not reduced, it's unlikely that right back Martin Montoya (23) will leave the club in January [md]

— barcastuff (@barcastuff) December 23, 2014"

The question isn't so much about the January window as it is about next summer: Alves will be a free agent, and the club may be unwilling to re-sign the 31-year-old, given the steep decline in his performance this season.

Douglas shouldn't be written off after a poor start to his career in Spain, but in light of his struggles, it also wouldn't be smart to appoint him as the new starter. Furthermore, Adriano is 30 himself, and far from the usual quality the Blaugrana field throughout their starting XI.

Montoya's presence may be needed just to make up the numbers, but the player has made it very clear that he doesn't want to stay. It's easy to suggest that Enrique just has to convince him otherwise, and as reported by Sport's Alfonso Callejas, the manager has a history of working players he previously cast aside back into the team:

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The case of the right-back being out of favour then back in is not unusual in Enrique's history. He has accumulated a curious history which shows he often judges players as unworthy or reserves, then over time reconsiders and grants second chances to them.

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But according to the player's agent, Juan de Dios Carrasco, the relationship between Montoya and Enrique has truly soured, and judging by his words, it may have reached the point of no return. He told La Graderia the following (h/t Marca):

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Only Luis Enrique knows what has happened to produce this situation. Luis Enrique is Mr high and mighty. The club might see Montoya as one of theirs, but there's no way to stand up to the gaffer. According to Martín, that's the way things are and I would believe what he says.

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So, where do we go from here? Montoya was given the start in the Copa del Rey match against Huesca and impressed enough to fill in for the injured Alves against Cordoba. The Brazil international will likely reclaim his spot once La Liga action returns in 2015.

Juventus likely won't be willing to meet his €20 million release clause, at which point the sale will become a question of value. If CAS reduce the Catalans' transfer ban, expect Montoya to leave the club in January, for whatever fee Barcelona can get.

But if the ban stands, the Blaugrana will wait for the right offer, with the magic number likely resting around €17 million. Whether any club will be willing to pay such a fee for an unproven defender is doubtful, and this transfer saga has the potential to spill over into the summer.

That would give Enrique six more months to assess the situation, and if the Barcelona manager has any common sense, Montoya will have the opportunity to show that he can be Barcelona's regular starter, or at least No. 2 behind Alves, at the right-back position.

A January move still seems the most likely outcome, however, and fans of the Blaugrana better hope Douglas reinvents himself and becomes an adequate backup in 2015.

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