Barcelona make decision on 19-year-old prodigy’s future amid Arsenal, Man United interest

Mika Faye has been garnering a whole lot of interest ahead of the summer transfer window even though he is yet to make his first-team debut at FC Barcelona.

Signed from NK Kustosija last summer, the 19-year-old has become a mainstay in defence for Barça Atletic and has been a regular in training with the senior team. He has even made it to the matchday squad in a few games of late, but his official debut is yet to arrive.

Despite that, elite clubs across Europe, most notably Arsenal, Manchester United, and Juventus, are all eyeing his signing.

Given the strong interest and the number of central defenders already at the club, there have been suggestions that Barcelona could sell Faye this summer.

Barcelona will keep hold of Faye

However, as per the latest update from SPORT, Barcelona have made the decision to not sell Faye this summer despite the interest the Senegalese international is attracting at this moment.

Faye will neither be sold nor loaned out by Barcelona. The club’s intention is that he will form part of the next project with a first-team number so that he can establish himself in the elite.

Both Faye and his entourage believe that his training period in the Blaugrana reserve team should come to an end at the end of the season. And the club also sees things the same way.

Mika Faye will not be sold. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

For now, Faye will continue to be vital for the reserve team in the race for promotion, although the idea is that, when there is an opportunity, Xavi will give him his first-team debut.

His left-footed profile makes him a very important asset for the future and Barça are convinced that he can make the jump to the first team normally.

As such, there is a plan to hand him a first-team contract with an extension for another year and a first-team number for next season.

Faye and his entourage were waiting in the wings because if Barça did not take this step, they were prepared to leave the club to continue his career in the first division.

Sales will be made

With the decision to retain Faye, Barcelona will sell some of their other centre-backs to ensure that there is no overload of defenders.

Both Clement Lenglet and Eric Garcia will be asked to leave after returning from their loan spells while offers could also be heard for one of Jules Kounde, Inigo Martinez, and Andreas Christensen.