[ad_1]
Barcelona midfielder Riqui Puig has received suggestions that he will leave the club in January by an overwhelming majority of correspondents to a survey in Marca.
It comes as the central midfielder has appeared in just nine minutes of first-team action for the club this season and has now been omitted from the Spanish Under-21 squad’s rosters.
87 percent of the 40,000 respondents in the poll believe the midfielder will leave the club on a loan contract in January, with only 13 percent voting that he would stay.
In September, the Barcelona coach, Ronald Koeman, opened the door for the central midfielder to leave temporarily this season as it is not in his plans, despite the departures of Arthur Melo, Ivan Rakitic and Arturo Vidal , although Miralem Pjanic did arrive at the Camp Nou.
Koeman said, according to Marca: “I talk to young people, they must play. They can’t be here without playing. I have told him that it is complicated and that there is a lot of competition. But here he has a future, although it depends on the player. I would recommend that it be loaned. At 21, young people must play.
The 21-year-old made three appearances for the Catalan giants in 2018/19 and is widely regarded as one of the brightest talents to have passed through his La Masia academy in years.
Puig made his La Liga debut on April 13, 2019, starting in a 0-0 draw against Huesca, and played 67 minutes, before starting in a 2-0 loss to Celta de Vigo in May.
The midfielder made his senior team debut with the first team against Cultural Leonesa in a 4-1 home victory in the Copa del Rey in December 2018, when he came in in the 55th minute and assisted in the fourth goal. He described his debut as “a dream come true”.
It wasn’t until Quique Setien’s appointment at Camp Nou earlier this year that Puig enjoyed a prolonged role in the club’s matchday squad, having played 12 games last season.
