The complexity of the deal has left United officials surprised, particularly as Barcelona have reportedly attempted to drive the purchase price down even further. This suggests that while Barca admire the player, their bank balance continues to dictate their movements in the market.
Balague explained the club's initial cautious approach and the evolving situation, stating to Manchester Evening News: "It was a loan because they couldn't pay for him, but £30m, they thought that if he did what was expected, they would pay for it. Hopefully, they thought the finances would be in a situation where they didn't need to negotiate that."
The Spanish giants have been actively scouting the market for potential buyers should they decide to cash in immediately. Balague further revealed that Deco spoke to people at Aston Villa and United, and they were surprised that the Red Devils let him go and that the price was only £30m at 27. So they found it was an opportunity in the market. This behind-the-scenes dialogue indicates that the Catalan club has been doing its due diligence on a possible resale for some time, keeping domestic rivals in the loop.