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Barcelona have unearthed another gem in Mikayil Faye for whom they rejected a €9 million offer from French outfit OGC Nice in the January transfer window. The young Senegalese defender is poised to make his first-team debut, having been named in the squad to face RCD Mallorca in La Liga today.
Faye joined the Spanish giants from Croatian outfit NK Kustosija in 2023 following an impressive few months with the side after arriving from his native Senegal. The 19-year-old was on the radar of Chelsea and several other clubs when Barcelona swooped in on him, and he immediately joined their B-team in the Primera Federacion.
With injuries to Pedri and Frenkie De Jong this past week, the Blaugrana squad has been left lighter than manager Xavi would have appreciated. The Spanish manager chose to turn to his B-team, as he has so often done this season, and chose a player to make up the squad for the game against Mallorca.
Faye will be on the bench for La Blaugrana for the first time and could make his debut for the club after his quality performance in the Primera Federacion. The teenager has two goals in 21 appearances in the third-tier league, and has caught the eye with his presence and physicality at the back, as well as his quality.
The youngster cost Barcelona just €1.5 million in the summer, and the Spanish club turned down an offer to make an easy profit on him in January. According to Fabrizio Romano, OGC Nice saw him play for La Blaugrana's B-team, and were prepared to pay six times what the club had spent on him.
Barcelona keen to keep on-loan star at club for another spell
Barcelona are interested in keeping Atletico Madrid loanee Joao Felix at the club beyond this season after his impressive performance this season. The Portuguese forward joined the club on a deadline-day loan last summer, and wishes to remain beyond this season.
According to SPORT, Felix's agent, Jorge Mendes, has opened talks with Atletico Madrid over an extension of the forward's loan. Talks are going well, and an agreement could soon be reached to have him spend the 2024-25 season at the club once more.
Barcelona are interested in paying €40 million for the 24-year-old, and will only do so after his proposed 2024-25 loan spell. The former Benfica man has scored eight goals and provided five assists in 31 appearances for La Blaugrana this season.
