FC Barcelona continues to fight to retain the talent from La Masia, but this time it hasn't managed to keep one of its gems. Considered by many as the natural heir to Sergio Busquets, he has decided not to renew his contract with the club and will head to Qatar, where a million-dollar offer from Al Sadd awaits him.
The young 19-year-old midfielder has been one of the great promises of the reserve team, standing out for his vision of the game, tactical intelligence, and technical quality. However, the lack of opportunities in the first team has been decisive for him to seek a new destination away from Camp Nou.
A Decision That Surprises Barça
Since Sergio Busquets's departure, Barça has unsuccessfully sought a player who can fill his place in the midfield. Footballers like Oriol Romeu, Gündogan, or Frenkie de Jong have been tried in that position, but none have managed to fill the void left by the legendary '5' of the blaugrana.
In the youth academy, two names have emerged strongly as possible long-term solutions: Marc Casadó and Marc Bernal. Both have shown their quality, and Hansi Flick has bet on them on several occasions. However, another name that also promised a lot was Pau Prim, a midfielder with a playing style reminiscent of Busquets.
Despite his projection, the player has seen how he wasn't part of the first team's plans. The lack of opportunities has been the trigger for him to make the decision to reject the renewal and seek a new challenge.
Qatar, His Destination: Al Sadd Has Him Secured
For months, several clubs have shown interest in Pau Prim. Teams from Saudi Arabia, Belgium, and especially Qatar have tried to convince the player to leave Barça. Finally, it was Al Sadd who secured his signing after making him an offer difficult to refuse.
Sources close to the footballer assure that an agreement already exists and that the official announcement could be made in the coming weeks.
Pau Prim's case is reminiscent of other promising youth players who have left the club with hardly any opportunities in the first team. Names like Unai Hernández, who recently left for Saudi Arabia, or even talents like Xavi Simons, who decided to leave Barça in search of playing time.
The challenge for Barça is to find a balance between betting on the youth academy and ensuring that young players have opportunities in the first team. In this case, Pau Prim's departure leaves doubts about whether the club has done enough to retain a footballer with so much potential.
Flick and Deco Already Looking for Alternatives
In light of this departure, Hansi Flick and Deco know they must strengthen the midfield. With Casadó and Bernal as future options, the club continues to explore the market to find a player who can perform the role of a defensive midfielder.
Although the priority is to continue betting on young talent, the loss of Pau Prim is a reminder that Barça can't afford to keep losing its promising players.
Pau Prim's farewell represents a new loss for Barça. A player with projection and blaugrana DNA who, not finding his place in the first team, has opted to seek his future in Qatari soccer.
The big question is: will Barça regret not having given him more opportunities? Only time will tell.