Official: Las Palmas sign Barcelona midfielder Sergi Samper on loan

Bengaluru, August 25: Barcelona youngster Sergi Samper has joined fellow La Liga side Las Palmas on a loan deal and will spend the season there, the clubs announced on Thursday (August 24).

"A young player with potential, he fits the profile of the club to cover the central midfield position," Las Palmas said in the statement.

Samper also spent last season on loan at Granada and came back to Barca this season with hope to make it to the first team squad this season.

The 22-year-old started pre season campaign with Ernesto Valverde's side and even played the International Champions Cup match against Juventus in New Jersey.

However, the Spanish manager recently suggested that he was not given a squad number and he will be again sent on loan to continue his development as the midfielder was not currently in his plans.

It is believed that the 22-year-old has been sent on loan mostly because of the arrival of the €40 million signing of Brazil international Paulinho from Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao.

"I talked with Samper three or four days ago," the Barcelona boss said.

"He has returned from a complicated loan spell [at Granada] where he didn't play as much as both him and the club wanted. Here he is going to have less minutes and I spoke with him [over a new loan move] with the idea that he could keep progressing and be an important player in the future."

Las Palmas sign the Barcelona midfielder as a replacement for Roque Mesa, who left for Swansea this summer for 12.5 million euros and the Barcelona board allegedly feel that transfer will provide Samper a superior stage than Granada last season, where Samper struggled for regular game time in a group in turmoil at the base of the table and managed only 14 appearances.

Samper is the first Barcelona player to leave the club on loan during the summer transfer window however, the number could increase as youngsters Rafinha and Marlon are also believed to be loaned out soon.