🎥 Barcelona reveal Carles Aleñá's new squad number | OneFootball

Carles Aleñá has been handed the number 21 shirt following his promotion to Barcelona’s senior team.

After Rafinha was ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee ligament injury, the club confirmed that La Masia graduate Aleñá is now officially a member of Ernesto Valverde’s first team squad.

And he will take the squad number left vacant by André Gomes, who is on loan at Everton.

Aleñá has of course been training with the main squad since last season and already has 10 first-team appearances and two goals under his belt.

However, until now the 20-year-old had still been registered as a B team player.

After netting his first LaLiga goal in the weekend win over Villarreal, Aleñá is expected to play a big part when Barça take on Cultural Leonesa in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday evening.

“I think he’s been playing well for a while,” said Blaugrana boss Valverde ahead of the game.

“We thought he’d be with us this year but because of his operation at the end of last season there was a bit more of a wait.

“The idea was to have him fully with the first team this January but we’ve moved that forward because of the injury to Rafinha.

“We hope things go the way he wants and the way we want so that he can become an important player for us.”