Serie A clubs eye out-of-favour Riqui Puig - Should Barcelona offload him?

Bengaluru, March 4: Barcelona misfit Riqui Puig is likely to leave the club in the forthcoming summer transfer period as the midfielder is reportedly frustrated with his lack of game-time at Camp Nou.

The 22-year-old was once regarded as the most promising talent of La Masia however since his debut in 2018, he has been unable to make the transition from youth football to senior football as expected.

Former manager Ronald Koeman did not use him much in the previous campaign and things have not changed under Xavi as well.

Now as finding regular starting spot appears to be out of reach for the midfielder, Puig is reportedly eying a move away from Catalonia and Serie A side Napoli are one of the clubs showing interest in him.

Puig's struggles

The 22-year-old's stature has constantly declined in the last two years, with neither Koeman nor Xavi selecting him much. He has managed just 363 minutes of game-time across 13 games in all competitions for Barcelona in the ongoing campaign which speaks volumes of his struggles.

Clubs linked

The interest from Napoli could be originating from the uncertainties surrounding the future of Fabian Ruiz. The Spanish midfielder is poised to leave the club next summer and they reportedly see Puig as his replacement.

Apart from Napoli, there is also believed to be interest from AC Milan and Leeds United as well. Despite his struggle at Barcelona, he should not be short of offers and if the Spanish side assert openly to offload him, many clubs could join them in the race gradually.

Should Barcelona offload him?

Sergio Busquets, Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi and Nico Gonzalez are all fixed for midfield spots for next season and there is very little chance of Puig breaking into the first team.

With Puig only having a year left in his deal, it is believed that manager Xavi is open to the prospect of selling the 22-year-old in the summer.

Selling Puig could help the club in generating revenue that can be put back into the team. The move could also be good for the 22-year-old who could get another chance to turn his fortunes around in a new environment.