Barcelona youngster’s chances fade even as Flick searches for Lamine Yamal backup | OneFootball

Lamine Yamal’s place in Barcelona’s starting lineup is beyond question, but the identity of his backup remains unresolved.

In that regard, according to Gabriel Sans of Mundo Deportivo, Hansi Flick has not yet made a final decision regarding who will serve as the primary alternative to the teenage superstar on the right wing next season.

While Roony Bardghji currently occupies that position in the squad hierarchy, his future at the club is far from guaranteed. 

Notably, Barcelona remain open to a sale and, despite interest from several clubs, no formal offers have arrived so far.

As a result, Flick and the sporting department are keeping multiple options on the table ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Bardghji remains first in line, but doubts persist

For now, Bardghji remains the most obvious deputy to Yamal. The Swedish youngster earned Flick’s trust towards the end of last season and was handed opportunities when Yamal was unavailable. 

The German coach’s faith in him was evident as he started two matches during that period.

Roony Bardghji’s future is uncertain at Barcelona. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

However, despite those opportunities, Bardghji has yet to fully establish himself as an untouchable member of the squad.

Right now, Barcelona would listen to offers for the winger if suitable proposals arrive and that possibility remains alive even though no club has submitted a concrete bid.

His situation has also been affected by missing out on a place in his national team’s World Cup squad, a setback that impacted his market value.

As things stand, Bardghji remains at Barcelona, but there is no certainty he will still be there when the transfer window closes.

So what now?

One reason Barcelona are comfortable assessing Bardghji’s future is that Flick has a few internal solutions available, and Ferran Torres is one of them.

Ferran Torres can also play on the right. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

The Spanish international has previously operated on the right flank and could be used there more frequently if Barcelona strengthen the centre-forward position this summer. 

Marcus Rashford is another possibility. Although Barcelona chose not to activate the purchase option agreed during his loan spell, the English forward has not completely disappeared from the club’s plans. 

Rashford still hopes a new loan agreement can be negotiated, which would immediately give Flick another experienced option capable of covering multiple attacking positions.

Lastly, according to the outlet, another possibility being evaluated is the return of Jan Virgili. 

Barcelona retain 40% of the player’s rights, and following Mallorca’s relegation, his release clause has reportedly dropped to €12 million. That would reduce Barcelona’s effective cost to around €7.2 million if they decide to pursue a deal.

Meetings regarding the winger have already taken place, but no decision has been made yet.