FC Barcelona had a number of players on loan last season, but none of them shone brighter than Ez Abde. The Moroccan international spent the last season with Osasuna and helped his team reach the finals of the Copa del Rey, which they lost to Real Madrid.
The winger returned to FC Barcelona this summer and spent the preseason with the Catalan team. He aimed to impress and convince Xavi for a role in the squad for this season, and his performances in the friendlies and the competitive matches have actually been satisfactory.
Abde’s agent holding a meeting with Barcelona
However, despite these impressive performances, there is still doubt whether the Moroccan international would be with the Catalans for this season. As previously reported here, Barcelona are trying to sign Joao Felix before the end of this summer transfer window, but they would have to offload at least one of their attacking players before being able to do so.
The club’s main preference for a sale is Ansu Fati, however, the La Masia graduate has clearly refused a move away from the club. Meanwhile, Abde has some good offers on the table, which makes him another option for Barcelona to sacrifice to incorporate Felix.
The club is currently deciding on the future of the Portuguese, and according to SPORT, Abde’s agent is in fact in a meeting with Barcelona executives at the moment, to discuss the future of the footballer.
Bayer Leverkusen the most interested side in Felix
The report further mentions that the German club, Bayer Leverkusen, is the strongest contender for the signature of the Moroccan international. The German team is willing to offer around €20 million for Abde. Still, Leverkusen is not the only team interested.
The player also has demand in the Premier League. Crystal Palace, currently managed by Roy Hodgson, is one of the English clubs interested in having Abde in their team for this season, and this is also the case with Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, who have also tried to convince Abde for a move in recent days.
It is not yet clear whether the departure of Abde would be in the best interests of the Catalan club. He is the one player in the Barcelona squad whose style is similar to that of the now-departed Ousmane Dembele, and he can turn the tide of a game with his explosiveness and speed. But the club believes getting Felix is a good market opportunity, and Abde can be sacrificed for his acquisition.
