Barcelona end transfer speculation as forward’s first team status confirmed | OneFootball

In recent weeks, a number of Barcelona players have been linked with leaving the club during the winter transfer window. One of those has been Roony Bardghji, but any doubts about his immediate future has now been put to bed.

Bardghji, who signed last summer from FC Copenhagen, has struggled for regular minutes this season – which is understandable, given that he is understudy to a certain Lamine Yamal. In total, he has played 14 times, and although the vast majority of those have come as a substitute, he has been counted upon by Hansi Flick.

Barcelona are reluctant to let Bardghji leave this month, and that has now been hammered home. On Friday, the Catalans made it official that the 20-year-old is a first team player, which his registration having been ratified by La Liga.

Image via Fran Santiago/Getty Images

Bardghji was registered with Barca Atletic at the end of last summer, with Barcelona not having enough space for him in their first team wage bill. However, the money freed up from Andreas Christensen’s salary, which is allowed due to his injury absence being longer than four months, means that he is now officially a part of Flick’s squad.

Bardghji takes on new shirt number

As part of being registered with the first team, Bardghji has now changed his number. He was unable to take the number 19, which he wore during pre-season, due to it being exclusive for those officially in the senior squad, which meant that he wore 28 for the first half of the campaign – including during Wednesday’s rout of Athletic Club in the Spanish Supercup, a match where he scored twice and provided two assists. However, he is back with 19 now, and he will adorn it from Sunday’s Real Madrid showdown in Jeddah.

Bardghji has been a very good squad player for Barcelona this season, and he is only getting better. It makes a lot of sense for him to stick around.