I would rather see him back in the squad at the start of the season, than loaned out again.
Even just as a matter of principle.
We have done him and Barcelona a favour, there is no need for nother one, they have had a year to come up with a very reasonable 20m, and have had the player for free with no loan fee paid. And knocked that value off the end fee.
It is not cutting your nose off to spite your face btw, because the dynamic has completely changed now. When he was shipped out, it was a precarious point in the season, results were iffy, the mood was tetchy. He had potential to upset that. Now, the group has won 6 trophies since, he has been out in the wilderness, they are far more tightly knit and he has to work his way back in. So if he stays, less of a problem.
Or if he really is to he loaned out, not to Barcelona, but a last minute to someone.
£13m for someone to be sat on the bench for a year though? Just doesn't seem worth it. Let him leave on a free. Nobody else is gonna pay him £250k a week but I'm guessing he'll get a signing on fee if there's no transfer fee involved that will make for it.
Principle is all well and good but surely we could put £39m to better use over the next 3 years.