Joan Laporta, president of La Liga giants Barcelona, has on Friday provided updates on the futures of two members of Xavi Hernandez’s squad to have struggled for playing time across the season to date.
The pair in question? Franck Kessie and Hector Bellerin.
Both Kessie and Bellerin, of course, opted to take their talents to the Camp Nou during the summer transfer window.
Midfield all-rounder Kessie did so owing to a long-standing pre-contract agreement, after opting against penning fresh terms with AC Milan, before right-back Bellerin followed suit, returning to his former club after being released by Arsenal.
Safe to say, however, that both likely predicted their respective stints under the watch of the aforementioned Xavi proving altogether more fruitful.
Hector Bellerin during his presentation as new FC Barcelona player at FC Barcelona training center Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper on September 6, 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Bagu Blanco / PRESSIN) (Alamy Stock Photo)
All told, to this point, Kessie and Bellerin have combined for a grand total of four league starts to this point in the campaign.
Speaking on Friday, Barca president Joan Laporta, as a result, was drawn on the possibility of as much.
In a boost to those of a Blaugrana persuasion hopeful of seeing both Kessie and Bellerin stay put, though, the Spanish patron went on to explain:
“We are now convinced that Kessié & Bellerin will have more prominence in this second part of the season.”
Barcelona president Laporta confirms the club has no plans to sell Kessié and Bellerin in January: “We are now convinced that Kessié & Bellerin have more prominence in this second part of the season”. 🔵🔴 #FCB pic.twitter.com/kvPlRDQuxb
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 23, 2022