It has been a season of emerging talent for Barcelona. Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi have cemented themselves as first team regulars, despite being 16 and 17 years of age respectively, while Hector Fort, Fermin Lopez and Marc Guiu have also made telling contributions when called upon.
The next youngster primed to make his debut for Barcelona is Mikayil Faye. The Senegalese centre-back has been linked with a move away in the summer, as his path to the first team is crowded by a number of existing options, including Ronald Araujo, Cubarsi, Jules Kounde and Inigo Martinez. However, he is rated highly within the club, and by head coach Xavi Hernandez, who intends to give him a run out in the coming weeks, as per Sport.
🚨 Xavi will make Mikayil Faye's debut at Barça a reality. The coach intends to give him minutes to make him feel important at the club. @sport 🇸🇳 pic.twitter.com/wNNsyjQxow
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) March 31, 2024
Barcelona’s trip to Cadiz in two weeks’ time would be the perfect opportunity for Faye to play. It’s in between the two legs of their Champions League quarter-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain, and with Martinez suspended, the teenager is well-placed to be selected in the starting line-up.
It remains to be seen if it is that match that Faye makes his bow, or if Xavi decides to hold him back further. When his Barcelona debut does come, it will be richly deserved either way.
Really looking forward and intrigued to see how he will get on when he finally gets his first team start for sure.