Barcelona unwanted midfielder has four games to prove himself, could be a backup for Busquets and Xavi want to give him another opportunity.
One of the unusual players to be selected by Barcelona for the preseason tour of the United States was Miralem Pjanic.
Even though the former AS Roma player had received a lot of negative criticism earlier in the summer, the midfielder really stood out in the first few weeks of Xavi Hernandez’s preseason training.
The Bosnian international demonstrated his skill with the ball and provided the insight to make accurate passes and succeed in confined places. He stood out in Barcelona’s training sessions due to his superior knowledge of the game and his experience.
In the end, it brought him a ticket to the US for Barça’s preseason training. Additionally, Pjanic will only be given four games to show himself before Barcelona decides on his future, according to a report from SPORT.
However, the 32-year-old’s fate at Camp Nou will depend on how he performs in the upcoming friendlies.
Barcelona are slated to kickstart their US tour with a friendly against Inter Miami on July 20. Pjanic is expected to take part in the action, along with the newer signings such as Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen.
The Blaugrana will then play three more games against Real Madrid, Juventus and New York Red Bulls and Pjanic’s fate will be decided on how he fares in these four matches.
Although Xavi would have preferred to provide the Bosnian with more opportunity, his €8 million contract per season is starting to stand in the way. The player must act immediately and argue his case since Barça cannot pay him if he stays an outcast in the team.
Given that Barcelona does not have a solid replacement for Sergio Busquets, Xavi is undoubtedly open to including Pjanic in the team for the upcoming campaign. Although the Barça coach has chosen to use Nico Gonzalez in the number six position for the upcoming season, Pjanic might be a great substitute.
