Long-serving Spanish utility man Sergi Roberto will reportedly leave Barcelona as a free agent in the 2024 summer transfer window.
According to reputed Spanish journalist Toni Juanmarti, Sergi Roberto will not be a Barcelona player for much longer. The reigning La Liga champions will continue their transition by parting ways with the long-serving utility man in the 2024 summer transfer window.
Sergi Roberto is a graduate of Barcelona’s fabled La Masia Academy. The 31-year-old began his youth career with UE Santes Creus before having a stint at Gimnastic de Tarragona. But Roberto’s life changed after he joined La Masia over a decade and a half ago in February 2006. He subsequently progressed through the ranks in Barcelona’s youth division before breaking into the first-team squad.
The Spanish international made his first-team debut as an 18-year-old in November 2010. But the experienced utility man had to wait until the 2015/16 season to become a regular for Barcelona. Roberto played nearly 50 games in four consecutive seasons before his stock started falling at Camp Nou.
The Spaniard did not feature much in the 2020/21 and the 2021/22 seasons, with fitness issues troubling him. Roberto seemed to have turned the tide last term, although a large chunk of his outings came off the bench. But the veteran has fallen in the pecking order despite becoming the Barcelona captain this season.
Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba’s departures have left Sergi Roberto as the most experienced player at the Catalan club. So, he inherited the captain’s armband ahead of the 2023/24 season. But Roberto has managed just over 200 minutes of game time thus far this term.
Joao Cancelo’s arrival on Deadline Day in the summer transfer window has been detrimental to Roberto’s prospects. In addition, with Barcelona keen on signing a right-back on a permanent deal in the 2024 summer transfer window, the 31-year-old might not feature much from next season.
So, a move away from Barcelona is ideal for Roberto. The Spanish international can reunite with former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba in Major League Soccer. But it will be interesting to see what the future has in store for the long-serving utility man.
