26-year-old defender not in Barcelona’s plans next season, asked to leave | OneFootball

Journalist Javier Miguel, via Diario AS, has written that Xavi has informed Clement Lenglet that he no longer plays a role in his plans for the future.

The French defender recently had a meeting with Xavi where he was communicated the same and was thanked for his extreme professionalism during his four-year stint with the team.

As for the player, he sportingly accepted his manager’s words and is said to be happy to part ways in the summer.

A part of his acceptance was mostly down to the arrival of Andreas Christensen ahead of the 2022-23 season. On top of that, Barça are said to be on the lookout for another centre-back and if signed, Lenglet understands he will have no place in the team.

He understands that lack of playing time next season will culminate in him missing out on a place in France’s world cup squad, something which he is looking forward to.

Hence, with the association now ending on a positive note, it is up to the team, as well as Lenglet’s agent, to find a suitor.

As of today, the defender has asked the team management to buy him some time in order to reflect and assess his options. For Barcelona, they can afford to give him the liberty since he is not travelling with the team to Australia to face the A-League All Stars.

In addition to the Frenchman, Xavi also held personal meetings with four other players in Oscar Mingueza, Riqui Puig, Samuel Umtiti and Martin Braithwaite.

Like Lenglet, the four players have been told to find new teams as there is no place for them in Xavi’s blueprint.

Furthermore, the manager also held sessions with the four club captains, Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto, to explain what the team’s intention is with them, given that some of them will be playing their final season with Barcelona.