Sevilla are reportedly interested in signing Abel Ruiz from Barcelona to beef up their striking options ahead of the September 2 transfer deadline
According to a report by Spanish publication Sport, Julen Lopetegui is keen on bolstering his striking options before the transfer window slams shut on September 2. Sevilla have thus, set their sights on Barcelona B striker Abel Ruiz over a late move, with the La Liga champions open to letting the teenager leave, albeit on loan.
Abel Ruiz joined the fabled La Masia academy in 2012 from Valencia and has since made rapid strides in the Barcelona youth setup. The Spanish prospect was promoted to the Barcelona B squad in 2017 and has since become a key component of the team.
Ruiz made his league debut for Barcelona towards the end of last season and was also part of the Spanish team that triumphed at the Under-19 Euro this summer. But, with the La Liga champions signing Antoine Griezmann, a player who is likely to be the alternative to Luis Suarez to lead the line, Ruiz’s pathway to the first-team seems to have been blocked.
The report by Sport suggests that Ruiz wants to play first-team football this season and does not want another campaign with Barcelona B. But, the 19-year-old has also admitted that he is ready to leave Barcelona in search of a higher standard of football, which seems to have piqued the interest of Sevilla.
Los Nervionenses have lost the services of Wissam Ben Yedder this summer, with the Frenchman joining AS Monaco. While his departure, as well as the permanent exit of Luis Muriel, has been offset by the arrival of Luuk de Jong and Munas Dabbur, there is a complicated situation brewing at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.
Dabbur, who only arrived at Sevilla this summer from Red Bull Salzburg, seems to have bizarrely been deemed surplus to requirements, with Bordeaux reportedly interested in signing him. Dabbur has not featured in any of the two matchday squads so far for the Andalusian side, leaving de Jong and Munir El Haddadi as the only two striking options.
As a result, Sevilla need to make a late move to sign a striker ahead of the September 2 deadline. With Ruiz keen on securing first-team football this season, he has emerged as a viable target for the La Liga club. Barcelona too are open to the idea of letting the teenager leave, but only if he joins a new club on loan.
It now remains to be seen if Sevilla push for a permanent move for Ruiz, or if they are ready to sign him for the remainder of the 2019-20 season instead. Whatever happens, the process will need to be accelerated, with just four days remaining for the transfer window to slam shut.
