Ronald Koeman Reveals Barcelona Will Loan Riqui Puig Out for 2020/21 Season

Ronald Koeman has revealed that Riqui Puig will be sent out on loan this season to earn regular first-team minutes away from Barcelona.

Puig has emerged as one of Spanish football's most exciting talents, racking up 12 appearances last season to light up an otherwise frighteningly dim campaign for La Bluagrana.

It was widely expected that he could break through into the senior fold on a more regular basis this campaign, given the utter shambles that's been ongoing at Camp Nou and with new management ready to make wholesale changes.

These changes are being made in a surprising manner, however. Speaking after his side's friendly victory over Elche, Koeman revealed that he had told Puig he should move out on loan this season in order to further his development. Not, y'know, by playing alongside the likes of Lionel Messi.

"I didn't tell Riqui Puig that I wasn't counting on him. I only told him that a youngster must have time. It goes for him, Aleñá, Pedri ... It's complicated because there is competition for their positions. He has a future here. A loan is a possibility. But nothing more," he said, via Marca.

"I would recommend that he go on loan. At 20, young people must play. They cannot be unemployed for a while. We have been there for three weeks and he has competition."

His comments and general decision making will come as a shock to many, who felt that Puig was the ideal player to help usher Barça into a new era. That is clearly not the case for this season, with a temporary move now likely to be completed.

There have been no obvious candidates to take Puig on for the season, although given what was seen from his brief outings last season, he won't be short of suitors.

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