FC Barcelona have become accustomed to scouting youth talent to either develop in the subsidiary or incorporate into the first team. The risk with the latter option is that regular playing time is not guaranteed and could result in young stars not being given enough exposure while they are in a developing stage.
As a result, often moving young talent into the subsidiary with Barcelona Atletic allows them to develop and hone their skills better. The likes of Noah Darvich and Mikayil Faye among others are currently working within the spectrums of the subsidiary and developing day by day to one day be ready for a leap into first-team action.
Yet, there is one name within the subsidiary that shows immense quality but is not yet a full-fledged member of FC Barcelona. The player in question is none other than 21-year-old Pau Victor, who is currently on loan from Girona and has now made Xavi’s first-team squad list to face Granada.
According to Spanish outlet SPORT, Pau Victor could end up becoming a great low-cost addition for Barcelona. Even though he is currently on loan, the Spanish forward has a buy option/release clause of €3 million. Given his qualities, the value may not seem like much in the future.
Currently contracted to Girona, this is the player’s second consecutive loan. In the 2022/23 season, he was first loaned off to Sabadell. During his time there, he scored an impressive 7 goals and further provided 6 assists as well.
SPORT mirrors his development to that of 20-year-old La Masia star Fermin Lopez. The midfielder also found his calling after spending a year away on loan at Linares. Now, he has more or less become a permanent part of Xavi’s squad for the first team.
For Victor, this call-up presents a huge opportunity. With Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha both injured, he has the chance to get some minutes. The 21-year-old is able to effectively play both as a winger and striker, a versatility that could work in his favor.
He is joined by 17-year-old Marc Guiu in the final 20-man squad list for Granada. Apart from the two subsidiary players, Xavi only has Lamine Yamal, Joao Felix, and Ferran Torres as the available first-team forwards. It will be interesting to see what level of involvement or contribution both these subsidiary players end up having in the game.
