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Manchester City and Bayern Munich are reportedly closely following the situation of Barcelona midfielder Riqui Puig, whose contract expires at the end of the season.
According to a Transfer report, Barcelona could have a real battle on their hands as they seek to keep Riqui Puig’s services. The young midfielder’s contract at the Camp Nou expires at the end of the season, thus alerting European giants like Bayern Munich and Manchester City.
In fact, Puig is one of three players alongside Lionel Messi and Oscar Mingueza, whose contracts will expire soon. Although Barcelona have every intention of renewing Puig’s contract, they do acknowledge that things could be more difficult than expected given the youngster’s lack of playing time in the first team.
Puig’s difficult relationship with Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman could also be a key factor in convincing him to move elsewhere during the summer. It could be a great revelation in the transfer market, as the 21-year-old is considered one of the best young midfielders in world football, despite his lack of opportunities at Camp Nou.
For Barcelona, the possible departure of Puig could be a serious blow, especially from a sporting point of view. The club has already seemed quite dependent on aging midfielders in recent weeks and still operates with players like Miralem Pjanic and Sergio Busquets on the current roster. Plus, they have a dearth of reliable long-term options in the middle of the park, aside from Frenkie de Jong, who also has by Carles Alena.
The future of Barcelona (Photo by Lluis Gene / AFP via Getty Images)
The absence of someone like Puig, in that sense, should once again force the Blaugrana go through another transition phase. It was already rumored that they were entertaining the idea of firing players like Philippe Coutinho, so any other exit is sure to make things difficult for the new management.
As for Manchester City, the prospect of signing Puig next season appears as an excellent opportunity for Pep Guardiola to reinforce his midfield department, which has lacked consistency this season. In that sense, the youngster can not only add some healthy competition, but can also emerge as a long-term replacement for his compatriot David Silva.
However, the Premier League giants will have to prepare for stiff competition from Bayern. The European champions could be looking for a new midfielder following Thiago’s departure to Liverpool, while Marc Roca has had a slow start to his career in Germany, giving Hansi Flick an ideal excuse to chase down the Barcelona midfielder. It remains to be seen what the future holds for Puig.
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