RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesGirona continue to wait for Barcelona to decide on La Masia midfield starlet’s future
Pre-season at FC Barcelona often sees many La Masia graduates get a chance to experience first-team football, and some of them never look back.
The likes of Gavi, Fermin Lopez, Marc Bernal and, more recently, even Pedro ‘Dro’ Fernandez all made a name for themselves with their displays during pre-season.
With many first-team stars still away on holiday after their World Cup stints, this summer presents a unique opportunity for a few more La Masia graduates to make a name for themselves.
One player who seems to have caught the eye thus far is Brian Farinas. The 20-year-old starlet was closing in on a move to Girona before Hansi Flick applied the brakes.
According to Mundo Deportivo , Girona have not given up hope of signing the 20-year-old despite Barcelona halting negotiations following Frenkie de Jong’s long-term injury.
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Flick wants a closer look
Earlier this month, Barcelona and Girona had reached an advanced agreement that would have seen the Catalan club purchase 50 percent of Farinas’ rights for €1.5 million.
However, those plans changed after De Jong suffered a serious injury at the World Cup. Flick asked the club to keep Farinas in the squad for pre-season so he could assess whether the youngster could help fill the gap left by the Dutch midfielder.
The coach is expected to use Barcelona’s training camp in England as the final stage of that evaluation before deciding whether Farinas remains with the first team or pursues regular football elsewhere.
Girona are prepared to wait
Rather than walking away from the deal, Girona are willing to wait until Flick and Barcelona make a decision on Farinas’ future.
The report adds that sporting director Deco has held several discussions with the player’s agent, Borja Garcia, to determine what would be best for Farinas’ development.
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That could mean staying at Barcelona if genuine first-team opportunities exist or moving elsewhere to guarantee consistent minutes.
Farinas, who is under contract until 2028, impressed with Barça Atletic last season and has spent much of the summer working with a personal fitness coach to arrive at pre-season in the best possible condition.
Few players have as much to gain from this pre-season as Farinas.
De Jong’s injury has unexpectedly opened the door, but Flick will only keep him if he believes the midfielder is ready to contribute immediately rather than simply fill a squad place.
The fact that he started the closed-door friendly against CE Europa is a huge boost to his confidence, and it remains to be seen how he fares during the England camp.
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