Leeds United named as leading suitors for Barcelona man encouraged to move on
Leeds United remain a feasible option for Barcelona midfielder Riqui Puig with the LaLiga side reportedly set to offload the player in the summer.
Puig has been a target for the Whites previously, but it’s unclear whether it was Barcelona’s doing or interest instigated from West Yorkshire. The 22-year-old central midfielder has come up through the ranks at La Masia and made his first-team debut in 2018.
His career though has stalled somewhat at the Camp Nou. And the Matadepera-born player has failed to get regular game time under Quique Setién or Ronald Koeman. It was thought the arrival of Xavi would give Puig a clean slate to work from.
However, he hasn’t played for a month and has only been a starter in LaLiga in one game. He has managed 17 minutes in the Champions League and one Copa del Rey start and his future looks bleak in Catalonia.
But as Sport points out “another season almost ostracized is neither good for the Blaugrana club nor for the player himself”.
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Puig to replace Kessie?
Barca have previously tried to encourage Puig to leave on loan for game time.
Leeds were one of the clubs Barca were pushing the player to in January 2021. Puig though is understood to have turned down chances to leave so that he could push for the first team.
Now Fichajes.net suggest that one of the clubs that would be interested in signing him is AC Milan. They could well be looking for a replacement forFranck Kessie, whose contract expires in the summer.
Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds are also namechecked again with the report claiming they have previously “shown interest” in Puig.
Granada, Villarreal and Real Betis have also apparently registered their interest in the player in recent seasons.
There’s no doubt Bielsa is in need of midfield recruits. His options have been swelled by the return of Adam Forshaw this season, but Kalvin Phillips cannot carry the Whites all season.
Leeds have not made a permanent central midfield signing since Forshaw arrived in January 2018 from Middlesbrough.
READ MORE: Marcelo Bielsa keen on double swoop for Middlesbrough stars, claims report
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