This season has been one full of ups and downs in Barcelona news but the one constant positive has been the emergence of the club’s young stars.
Whilst players such as Ronald Araujo, Pedri and Ansu Fati have established themselves among the stars of the first-team squad, there are plenty more youngsters who have emerged with bright futures.
As outlined by a report in Marca, the economic situation at the club means there is a debate at the club over several of the younger players on whether they should be maintained to build a team around or potentially to be cashed-in upon.
One of the questions lies over the future of defender Oscar Mingueza, who has played a prominent role this season and is out of contract this summer – the club have an option to unilaterally extend his deal by two years, but that would mean a significant salary increase as he would need to have the status as a first-team player.
Another complicated case is Illaix Moriba – who scored his first senior goal in the weekend’s win at Osasuna – who is out of contract in 2022 and whose last renewal saw his agent Jonathan Barnett take a whopping €2.5m commission. Any new contract may test the club’s reducing annual budget.
For Riqui Puig, he has seen Illaix overtake him in the priority list for Ronald Koeman and Victor Font not becoming president may impact him, the report adds, as Xavi Hernandez is unlikely to be appointed coach imminently.
Goalkeeper Inaki Pena and midfielder Alex Collado also both have uncertain futures – both have been involved in matchday squads this campaign but are not regulars on the pitch.
