21-year-old Barcelona forward’s future dependent on performances on the US tour

Barcelona sent seven players out on loan in the summer of 2022. They were given the chance to prove their worth by establishing themselves as starters at their new clubs and maintaining high quality through the season.

Of the seven players, only one managed to hit the required objectives – Abde Ezzalzouli. The youngster, also known as Ez Abde, spent last season on loan at Osasuna and made himself a prominent figure in the Pamplona-based side’s starting lineup.

He participated in 28 La Liga games for the team, scoring four goals and providing two assists in the process. Further, he averaged 0.4 key passes and 1.4 shots per game.

Of all the under-25 players last season, Abde finished the season with the third most successful dribbles completed in Europe’s top five leagues. At 6.4 dribbles completed per game, he was only behind Vinicius Jr and Jeremy Doku.

It is clear that Xavi Hernandez is satisfied with the La Masia graduate’s progress over the past year and is willing to give him a chance in the coming weeks to earn a place at Barcelona.

According to reports from Sergi Capdevila, Abde will pass his medical tests on Tuesday and rejoin pre-season training immediately. He is determined to make a comeback at the club of his dreams and has cut short his vacation to just nine days for the same.

He is not guaranteed a spot in Xavi’s dynamics for next season, although he is well-placed to do so. His future will depend on what he shows in the upcoming preseason fixtures in the USA.

Barcelona are in dire need of player sales, and the 21-year-old is one of the few stars in their grasp who has a promising market value.

More so, after his brilliant showing at the U23 Africa Cup of Nations, where he led Morocco to the trophy and won the Golden Boot as well.

It is thus imperative that the Moroccan star shows enough in the coming weeks to prove that he is worth more than the economic value his sale would provide if he wishes to stay at Barcelona.