Barcelona had a tricky goalkeeping situation to handle coming into this transfer window, with too many players competing for the same position.
Hansi Flick's hierarchy was clear, with Joan Garcia as the undisputed No. 1 and Wojciech Szczesny expected to be the back-up.
However, the club still had to resolve the futures of club captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Inaki Pena, as well as a few youngsters such as Diego Kochen .
Now, according to Mundo Deportivo , Kochen's loan move to Lyngby has hit a delay, with the Barcelona goalkeeper still waiting for the final paperwork to be completed before he can officially join training.
The agreement between Barça and the Danish club is already in place, but the documents have not yet been fully completed or signed.
Set to leave imminently. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
The expectation is that the final details could be resolved by Monday. The 20-year-old has already travelled to Denmark , completed his medical and taken official photos with Lyngby.
The delay appears to be linked to the future conditions of the agreement. Lyngby have included a purchase option worth €1.5 million, while Barcelona are studying whether to add a percentage of a future sale.
That would be a logical move from Barça. Kochen is still young, and even if the club are allowing him to continue his development elsewhere, they should protect themselves in case his value rises later.
Barcelona have used this kind of formula often with young players. It allows the player to find minutes, gives the buying club a pathway and keeps Barça connected if the player progresses.
For Kochen, the most important thing is playing. Staying at Barça without a clear route to minutes would have slowed his growth.
A loan move is the right decision for Kochen. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
A loan to Denmark gives him a senior environment, regular competition and a chance to prove himself away from the pressure of Barcelona's crowded goalkeeping structure.
Of course, the purchase option means the move could become permanent. That is why Barça are right to push for future protection before signing everything off.
The details seem to be strictly administrative, and after a few days of negotiation, the two teams should be able to arrive at a solution.
The priority for Barcelona now is clear: loan Kochen out to a club where he plays regularly and protect themselves should he develop into the player his talent suggests.
