Barcelona youngster set to complete loan move to Denmark; deal to include €1.5m buy option

Barcelona youngster set to complete loan move to Denmark; deal to include €1.5m buy option

Diego Kochen arrived at Barcelona at the age of 13, back in 2019. He was seen as one of the brightest young goalkeeping talents and the club saw him as a long-term bet.

The young goalkeeper quickly climbed up the ranks and was even called up to the first team in the 2023-24 season by Xavi Hernandez.

Hansi Flick also selected the American international as his third-choice goalkeeper on many occasion, but Kochen never really got a chance to make his official debut.

Now, he is looking for a departure and Danish side Lyngby have been linked as the best-placed team to land his services.

Permission granted

As reported by Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona and Lyngby are in the final stretch of their negotiations and are on the verge of finalising a loan departure.

On his way to Denmark. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

The terms of the agreement include a loan for one season with an option to purchase the player permanently for a fee of €1.5 million next summer. 

Barcelona, for their part, have already given their green light to the player to travel to Copenhagen and finalise his move.

The idea is that he can immediately clear the formalities and begin pre-season with the team on Wednesday.

A bright future

Barcelona’s closing of a loan deal makes it clear that they value the player highly, and they have even retained a significant percentage of the player’s rights.

A fresh start for the youngster. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

They will, thus, be entitled to a big part of any future transfer fee involving Kochen.

The youngster has not been called up to the USMNT for the ongoing World Cup given his lack of minutes, and that was one of the driving factors behind the departure.

With some prominence in the Danish first division, the player will hope to earn a big-money move in the coming years. A return to Barcelona, however, looks unlikely given Joan Garcia’s age and quality.

Needless to say, however, it is a much-needed move for the youngster who has spent recent years in the shadows with little to no prominence. One season as a starter can do wonders for his confidence and career progression.