Official: Former Barcelona wonderkid Riqui Puig joins LA Galaxy

Suraj Radia

4 Aug 2022 19:37 BST
3 min read

Barcelona have struck an agreement with LA Galaxy to sell former wonderkid Riqui Puig to the MLS side.

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The 22-year-old will pen a three-year deal and is believed to be joining on a free transfer, however Barcelona will retain the right to repurchase him as well as a 50% sell-on clause.

“We are pleased to welcome Riqui to the LA Galaxy,” said head coach Greg Vanney. “Riqui is a very technical and well-educated player with incredible experiences for his age. He will fit seamlessly into our group and style of play.”

Puig was considered one of the brightest prospects to come out of La Masia but the midfielder failed to truly establish himself in Barcelona’s first team, scoring twice in 42 La Liga games.

The deal could be considered a coup for the Galaxy with Puig previously linked with some of Europe’s top sides.

Barcelona were desperate to get rid of Puig as they look to lower their wage bill, prompting them to allow Puig to leave for a nominal amount, albeit with clauses.

How Puig fell from grace at Barca

Puig struggled to connect with former Barca boss Ronald Koeman and also failed to feature regularly under his successor Xavi, only making 15 appearances and two starts last season.

He was also the subject of recent controversy due to leaked audio in which he mocked forward Ferran Torres and spoke of turning down clubs like Chelsea.

Puig had previously drawn acclaim from the likes of Rivaldo and Gennaro Gattuso, with the former comparing him to a young Xavi.

Gattuso was full of praise for Puig while manager of Milan, coming up against the youngster in a friendly and saying: “He’s spectacular. Seeing kids who still have baby faces play with the ball is something that amazes me. I see them feel the football inside and it’s something like poetry.”

However, having rejected loans away from the club and unsuccessfully proving his ability in the first team, Puig was exiled from the first team squad as Barca tried to force a sale.