Unexpected move in the transfer market, FC Barcelona loses one of its young prospects from La Masia. The reason is directly related to Hansi Flick's future plans and the arrival of a top-level striker. The Balearic club has already finalized his signing for next season.
Jan Virgili, one of the jewels of the blaugrana academy, is ending his time at the culé club to join RCD Mallorca. The young forward hasn't found the desired space in the first team's plans and has chosen to seek playing time and development away from the City of Barcelona. His destination will be the Bermellón team, which is strongly committed to national talent.
The final decision has surprised those around Barça, as Jan Virgili had been standing out with strong performances in the youth categories, and several coaches trusted his development. However, the change on the first team's bench has altered the plans for many academy players. With Flick in charge, the priority is to strengthen the attack with immediate experience.
Domino effect
The signing of Marcus Rashford, from Manchester United, has had a domino effect; his arrival blocks the promotion of several reserve team forwards, including Jan Virgili. The English international will play a leading role on the left wing, the area where the young academy player had been excelling. The message has been clear: he won't have a place in the short term.
This has led Virgili and those around him to make a tough decision. At 18 years old, the forward believes the best thing for his career is to accumulate minutes in the First Division. Mallorca, aware of the opportunity, has moved ahead of other LaLiga clubs and has finalized a long-term agreement with the player. He has signed until 2029.
Jagoba Arrasate backs him
The Balearic team sees him as a bet for the future. With Jagoba Arrasate, the Mallorca squad aims to rejuvenate its roster and give opportunities to hungry young players. Virgili arrives motivated to show that he can perform at the highest level and make a name for himself in professional soccer. Those around FC Barcelona acknowledge that they would've liked to keep him, but they understand his departure.
The enormous competition in the first team will be fierce with Rashford, Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, and Raphinha. In Mallorca, they trust that Jan Virgili can keep growing. His profile fits the team's playing style, and it's possible that he'll get minutes from the very first matches. His versatility in attack is a highly valued asset by the coaching staff.
A departure that hurts at La Masia, but confirms a trend: more and more young players prefer to seek minutes elsewhere rather than wait for an opportunity at Camp Nou. In this case, the blame falls directly on the arrival of a star like Marcus Rashford.