‘This summer was different’… Dani Olmo reveals why he finally decided to rejoin Barcelona | OneFootball

Some stories involving FC Barcelona are simply too good to be anything short of a fairytale in their own right. Many players dream of joining the Catalan club, but only a few ever manage to realize that dream of theirs. However, there are even fewer players who end up leaving Barcelona at a certain point to then come back again.

One such player is Dani Olmo, who was Barça’s big summer signing in the last transfer window. Originally a La Masia talent, the Spanish player ended up leaving the club in 2014 as he wanted to test out his quality and skills beyond just the Barcelona youth teams.

That move led him to Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia, and then to RB Leipzig over in Germany. At long last, however, after several reported attempts to bring him back, the 26-year-old attacking midfielder ended up returning to Barcelona in 2024 and is now a key player for Hansi Flick.

In a recent interview, as highlighted by Mundo Deportivo, Olmo even revealed why he decided to come back at this moment in time, and he stated that ‘this summer was different’, as he credited Deco for being the one who attracted him back to the club:

“This summer was different; they came for real. Deco showed confidence in me from the start, a confidence I hadn’t felt before… It was the best place, the best team, and the best club for me.”

He also spoke about how the sporting project at Barcelona seemed quite attractive this time around and how he felt that this team was in it to compete for every single title this season:

“I had confidence, or rather, the certainty that this Barça team is built to win, that this year we’re competing for everything, and we’re already proving it. The goal is all-in this year.”

For Olmo, his objective remains to bring joy to Barcelona as he reveals that succeeding at the Catalan club has always been his dream, no matter where life took him:

“I want to bring a lot of joy to Barça fans. If someone had told me ten years ago that my journey would take me through Zagreb and Germany (Leipzig), I’d have signed up with my eyes closed. The goal of going to Dinamo Zagreb was to become a footballer so that I could eventually return to Barça—a dream.”

Moreover, the Barcelona star remains confident that he can deliver for the team this season and he understood from the start that this particular team would be one where he thrives:

“I knew things would go well from the start. I can score; I’ve shown that by scoring goals in the Euro Cup, for example. Last year, I started this way at Leipzig, and I hope to keep it up this season. Playing with teammates like Pedri, with whom I connect perfectly, I knew I’d have many chances every game because this Barça creates a lot.”

As of right now, Dani Olmo is in perfect condition once again after having suffered a rather notable injury some time ago this season. Now, however, he is available for Hansi Flick and will be waiting for the international break to end so he can start delivering for the team once again.