Barcelona midfielder made a mistake by snubbing Arsenal
Sergi Samper is unlikely to crack Barcelona’s first team
On one hand, you really have to admire Sergi Samper’s single-minded focus to break into Barcelona’s first team. On the other hand, at this point it’s reasonable to ask yourself whether or not Samper has what it takes to flourish with the La Liga giants.
The young Spanish midfielder is so focused on making things work with Barcelona that he claims to have snubbed Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger this summer. The French gaffer was interested in bringing Samper to North London, but the midfielder claims he “did not even want to listen” to Arsenal’s sales pitch.
The only problem with Samper’s dream is that he doesn’t seem to have the ability to make it happen. Instead of making the move to Arsenal, he opted for a loan with Granada this season. He’s been entirely unable to distinguish himself there despite ample playing time. He’s made 13 La Liga appearances on the season but has only managed a Whoscored.com player rating average of 6.31.
That’s not the kind of performance that’s going to turn Luis Enrique’s head. If Samper were anywhere close to making an impact for Barcelona, he’d need to be one of Granada’s best players. Instead, he’s among their worst. It’s unclear as to whether or not Granada would be willing to take him again on loan next season.
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In fairness to the player, Samper has time to salvage his dreams of playing for Barcelona. He’s still just 21-years-old so he can certainly improve over the next several years. The challenge for him won’t be getting better, instead it will be improving enough to crack a star-studded Barcelona lineup.
Unfortunately for Samper he’s likely to be hammered with a cold dose of reality this summer. He may think he can force his way into the first-team frame, but that’s highly unlikely. In the end, he’ll need to choose between another uninspiring loan location or a permanent move away from the club of his dreams.
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Perhaps Samper should have taken the time to listen to Arsene Wenger’s pitch. Arsenal may not be Barcelona, but they’re probably better than where the young Spaniard is going to end up playing next season. In the end, he made a youthful mistake by snubbing the Gunners.