Barça: Ez Abde, is leaving the next step up?
Ez Abde faces a tough choice this summer. The Moroccan must decide his future as Barça look to sell him
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“He is making the most of his loan, he makes a difference and we are very happy with him. At Barça, we need players of this level. When he comes back, we will decide. But Abde can be important for us”. Those words from Xavi last January probably raised hopes of a return home and, at last, a place as a key player. That is far from the case. According to the Catalan newspaper Sport, the Barça hierarchy have a clear idea: sell Abde in the 2023 summer transfer window. The Catalans have other plans in mind, and one of them is to bring back Lionel Messi, whose contract at Paris Saint-Germain runs out in June…
Barcelona also need to sell this summer to comply with financial fair play. Abde, valued at 8 million euros by Transfermarkt, has had a strong season with Osasuna. The winger scored 6 goals and provided 2 assists in his first successful season. In 31 appearances, Ezzalzouli started 20 times.
A decisive summer
In his position, Barcelona are also very keen on Yannick Ferreira Carrasco, the Belgian from Atletico Madrid. It is also worth noting that the current Catalan squad includes Ansu Fati, “the chosen one” who took the number 10 shirt after Lionel Messi's departure and is warming the bench. So it is hard to imagine the Morocco international (5 caps) breaking into a squad with plenty of competition, including Ferran Torres and Ousmane Dembélé…
All signs point to a departure for Ez Abde. However, there is no need to worry for the 21-year-old. Several clubs are open to taking him. In Spain, Atlético Madrid are ready to welcome him, while in England, Wolverhampton are among those in the frame. Whatever happens, the summer will be decisive for the Moroccan's future.
Read also: Ajax: where next for Mohammed Kudus?
