Celta Vigo rejects an offer for Ilaix Moriba

Ilaix Moriba, a 23-year-old midfielder, will continue to be a Celta de Vigo player despite interest from Besiktas during the final days of the transfer window. The Galician club has decided not to negotiate his departure while the window remains open in Turkey and keeps the player, who is under contract until 2029, in Claudio Giráldez's plans.

Celta's stance is based on both the player's sporting importance and the timing of the market. The main European leagues have already closed their windows, and a departure now would leave the Vigo team with no margin to bring in a replacement for a season in which they are competing in LaLiga and in Europe.

🦅🚨Beşiktaş has officially offered €2+12 M to Celta Vigo for Ilaix Moriba.

(Reşat Can Özbudak) pic.com/AFm5Yu7FvV

— BeşiktAşk (@BesiktASK_0102) September 3, 2026

Ilaix Moriba did not leave despite offers from Ajax and Leverkusen

Besiktas' interest was not the only one received by Ilaix Moriba this summer. Ajax proposed a paid loan with a purchase option for 50% of his rights, a formula that did not convince Celta.

Bayer Leverkusen also presented a proposal based on a loan with an obligation to buy. The response was again negative because the club was not willing to part with the midfielder in an operation that did not meet their sporting and economic valuation.

Moriba has continued to be part of Giráldez's plans at the beginning of this season. He was a starter in recent LaLiga matches against Osasuna, Athletic Club, and Real Sociedad, playing the full 90 minutes in the goalless draw achieved this week at Anoeta.

His continuity is also supported by an investment made just over a year ago. Celta de Vigo exercised the purchase option agreed with RB Leipzig in June of 2025 by paying €6 million to definitively acquire his rights.

Celta controls an asset valued at 15 million

Since that operation, Ilaix Moriba's valuation has increased. His market value is currently around €15 million, and in Vigo, they believe that a future negotiation could exceed €20 million if he maintains continuity and performance.

The player is under contract until June 30, 2029, allowing Celta to handle any approach without immediate contractual pressure. This situation also explains the rejection of the proposals during this transfer window and the refusal to engage in discussions with Besiktas now.

FC Barcelona is no longer financially involved in any future sale. When Moriba was transferred to Leipzig in 2021, the deal was closed for €16 million plus €6 million in variables, and the Catalan club retained 10% of a future transfer.

That percentage was already paid when Celta bought the player: Barcelona received €600,000 from the €6 million transfer. Any subsequent sale now belongs entirely to the Galician club.

The immediate scenario for Ilaix Moriba is thus defined: he will remain in Vigo until at least the next transfer window, despite Besiktas' interest. If offers above €20 million reappear in January, Celta will have to decide whether to keep one of their regulars or turn a €6 million investment into a capital gain.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El Celta rechaza una oferta por Ilaix Moriba