Keep, loan or sell: Analyzing Barcelona’s best road ahead with talented youngster | OneFootball

“I think I could have played many more minutes, I think I earned them. There was a lot of competition and it was difficult to get in, but I think Flick wasn’t fair to me and I told him that in a talk I had with him.”

Those were the words of Pablo Torre in a recent interview he had while on duty with the Spanish U-21 setup as he did not hold back or mince his words towards Hansi Flick.

The German tactician has rightfully earned his flowers for taking Barcelona back to their glorious best over the past year and has almost flawlessly managed his squad. Torre’s criticism of the manager, however, is also not an overstatement.

The youngster did not disappoint on any occasion when the coach called on him, stepped up with goal contributions and stood out as a difference-maker. Even at the tail end of the season, however, he did not earn many minutes through rotations.

As Barcelona stare at the summer transfer window coming up, they thus face a huge decision over the youngster’s future. Should they keep him, loan him, or sell him?

A strong argument to leave

At 22 years of age, Torre is at a stage in his career where he needs regular minutes to develop and there is not much reason to believe anything will change next season in terms of his situation.

The real reason why Torre did not see much action was the sheer competition and quality of midfielders in the squad.

Gavi, Pedri, Fermin Lopez, Dani Olmo, Frenkie de Jong, Marc Casado, and Marc Bernal are already in the running for three starting spots next season, and Torre, even with his greatest performances, may be unable to break the hierarchy.

What does the future hold for Pablo Torre? (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Given the quality they already have in their ranks, selling Torre will provide more of an economic profit than it does a sporting loss and Barcelona can seriously consider making some handy cash off his departure. After all, he has a contract until 2026.

Concurrently, however, there is a school of thought that the club simply cannot let go of a player who has so much magic in his boots and that a loan departure will be the best solution.

Shipping him off for a year on loan will thus give him the opportunity he needs to develop, but with his contract ending next year, there will be a greater chance of him leaving on a free transfer.

Is it an option for Torre to stay?

While most would agree that the departure, either on loan or a sale, is a great solution for all parties involved, there is a school of thought that supports Torre staying which is not entirely dismissable either.

Squad depth, after all, is critical for the team’s success. Given Olmo’s fragile fitness, having Torre as a backup for the attacking midfield position could well come in handy should the team face an unfortunate injury crisis in the department.

The player has not shown any overt signs of wanting to leave Barcelona and is ready to fight for his spot. Keeping him in Flick’s loop, however, would also be a direct trade-off for his development.

Conclusion

Given Torre’s situation, Barcelona’s riches in the department, and the manager’s hierarchy, the perks of keeping the talented youngster in Catalonia do not appear nearly good enough to negate the cons.

A sale would be the best option forward, especially given Barcelona’s economic situation and how they can use the transfer fees and space on the salary bill.

What they can do, however, is incorporate a buy-back clause or a right to first refusal on him to ensure he is available to return to the club should a situation ever arise where they regret letting him go.