Loan players watch: Umtiti, Lenglet, Trincão, Dest, and more

FC Barcelona have several players out on loan and now that we are past the midway point of the season, we can start talking about whether their loans were successful or otherwise.

For some veteran players, it was about putting them on the shop window to get a move elsewhere. That’s the case for Samuel Umtiti (Lecce) and Clèment Lenglet (Tottenham Hotspur.) The defenders have regained some of the level they’ve shown previously, and it’s understood that if Barcelona were to sell them, they would have better offers than they would’ve if they tried to sell them before the loan. That’s a success.

Despite being a young player, Francisco Trincão wasn’t loaned to be developed. Sporting CP have already signed a contract to add him on a permanent basis. For what it’s worth, he seems to be doing well at his new club.

Another young player, Sergiño Dest, is struggling to get playing time with AC Milan. Barcelona loaned him out in order to sign Héctor Bellerín, but at the moment it seems neither one is the man for the right-back spot. There is a buy option for 20 million euro, although it is very unlikely that Milan would use it.

Then, there are players loaned out to be developed. Ez Abde has impressed at Osasuna and had a role in the Morocco squad that reached the last four of the FIFA World Cup. Nico González (Valencia) and Àlex Collado (Elche) show promise, but their seasons were interrupted by injuries, so they have not had a chance to develop as Barcelona wanted. They are both said to be on the verge of coming back, though.

Finally, we have the B teamers. Fermín López was loaned out to CD Linares, in Spain’s third tier. He has shown promise at that level and they are already thinking about the 19-year-old’s next step. On the other hand, Àlex Valle has tried his luck with FC Andorra of the Spanish second tier. He has found it hard to get playing time as Andorra has been reluctantly drawn into the relegation battle.