Barça doesn't want Clement Lenglet. Atlético wants to keep him permanently. Everything was on track for the two clubs to reach an agreement.
However, the agreement has already fallen apart. Even though Barça is interested in closing the deal that would send Lenglet to Atlético, there won't be a deal. Lenglet will return to Camp Nou.
Lenglet Will Never be Atlético's
Joan Laporta doesn't forgive his "friends" Enrique Cerezo and Gil Marín for the role Atlético played in the Olmo case. He doesn't forgive their pressure and forcing LaLiga to deregister him and remove him from Barça's team.
Laporta doesn't forgive. He feels hurt and seeks the best blow in reply.
Lenglet will never be Atlético de Madrid's. FC Barcelona will look for an exit for him, any that isn't the colchonero club.
Laporta doesn't intend to profit from the French defender. It's enough for him to save the 13 million from his salary to thus lighten his salary cap. Moreover, the imminent arrival of Jonathan Tah makes Lenglet absolutely expendable at Camp Nou.
Atlético Makes an Offer for Lenglet
For years, Lenglet has been surplus at Barça. In those years, he has played on loan at Tottenham and Aston Villa. And neither in London nor in Birmingham has he erased the doubts about his performance.
Things are going better for him at Atlético: 13 matches played and two goals scored. Simeone is delighted, and Atlético de Madrid has made Barça an offer of 10 million euros to keep him permanently.
In other words, by selling him to Atlético, Barça gains or saves 36 million. The 10 from the transfer and the 26 the club saves on his salary.
The Ruinous Loan for Barça of Lenglet
However, Barça has changed its strategy with Atlético, with which it was already making a ruinous deal with Lenglet. Atlético barely pays 3 million for the one-year loan and the player's salary.
Laporta has said enough. Lenglet will go to any club except Atlético. There won't be more ruinous deals, like those of David Villa, Luis Suárez, Griezmann, Memphis Depay, or João Félix in which Barça always ended up losing.
Clement Lenglet already knows. His future isn't at Atlético. He's already told Simeone.
Laporta breaks relations with Atlético. He considers them directly responsible, along with Sevilla and Athletic de Bilbao, for the situation he's experiencing with Dani Olmo.