Barcelona want to renew fan-favourite midfielder before loaning him out
Riqui Puig is among the set of Barcelona players who are staring at uncertain futures at the club. The La Masia graduate was not part of the club’s pre-season tour to the US as Xavi Hernandez left the midfielder left him behind in Spain to seek a solution to his future.
The 22-year-old prospect is still held in the highest of regard by the Barcelona supporters. However, he has failed to make a mark at the first-team level under any of the managers he has played for at Camp Nou.
Puig was hardly a regular under Xavi last season and with Franck Kessie being added to the midfield department, the academy graduate has fallen down the pecking order.
It had been reported that the Blaugrana wanted to offload him permanently as his contract expires in 2023. However, according to a fresh report from SPORT, Barcelona want to loan Puig out rather than sell him.
The report states that the Catalans are not considering the economic aspects of the deal at all and are looking at it based on sporting position only. There is a sense that Puig can still have a role to play at Camp Nou if his development continues with regular playing time.
To that end, Barcelona want to send the Spaniard out on loan to a club where he can get regular minutes under his belt so that his stalled career can be resurrected.
However, given his contract expires in 2023, the Blaugrana would first want to renew Puig’s deal so as to avoid losing him for nothing next summer before loaning him out.
MLS club LA Galaxy had shown an interest in Puig, but it was over a permanent transfer. With Barcelona now wanting to loan the 22-year-old out, it remains to be seen if there are any suitors for the midfielder.
