Barcelona defensive starlet set to join Spanish club on loan, will sign new deal before exit

The preseason provides Xavi with a risk-free environment to experiment with up-and-coming stars from the academy. The freedom to try various permutations and combinations has often borne fruit, with Gavi, Alejandro Balde, and Nico Gonzalez making the jump to the first team in similar fashion.

One of the youngsters on Xavi Hernandez’s radar is Chadi Riad. The 20-year-old Moroccan international is a regular starter in Rafa Marquez’s Barça Atletic setup and is viewed as one of the academy’s best young defenders.

A centre-back by trade, the prodigy played a part in 41 games for Barça Atletic last season and even scored four goals in the process. He now sees it as the right time to take the next big step in his career, but a place in the first team appears difficult to win.

Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, and the newly arrived Inigo Martinez provide the manager with substantial depth in the department heading into the season. The arrival of Mikayil Faye adds further competition to Riad’s path to the first team.

As such, according to SPORT, Riad is close to completing a loan move to Sporting Gijon. He was initially expected to be part of the squad travelling to the United States, but his advanced negotiations with the La Liga Hypermotion side changes his plans.

Xavi Hernandez believes in Riad’s potential and wishes to maintain leverage over his future. As such, the manager wants the youngster to leave on loan and play regularly to gain experience over the course of the upcoming season.

Barcelona are working to renew the youngster’s deal with the club, which expires next summer, before finalising his departure to Sporting Gijon.

His move to the La Liga Segunda side will be on loan and will likely not include a purchase clause given that the manager counts on him for the future. An official announcement can be expected in the coming days.