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Barcelona scout Real Betis midfielder Fabián Ruiz

By Chiranjib Ghosh

GETAFTE, SPAIN - APRIL 2: Fabian Ruiz Pena of Real Betis during the La Liga Santander match between Getafe v Real Betis at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez on April 2, 2018 in Getafte Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
GETAFTE, SPAIN - APRIL 2: Fabian Ruiz Pena of Real Betis during the La Liga Santander match between Getafe v Real Betis at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez on April 2, 2018 in Getafte Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images) /
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Fabián Ruiz has been a revelation for Real Betis this season

SEVILLE, SPAIN – APRIL 19: Fabian Ruiz of Real Betis Balompie looks on during the La Liga match between Real Betis and Las Palmas at Estadio Benito Villamarin on April 19, 2018 in Seville, . (Photo by Aitor Alcalde Colomer/Getty Images)
SEVILLE, SPAIN – APRIL 19: Fabian Ruiz of Real Betis Balompie looks on during the La Liga match between Real Betis and Las Palmas at Estadio Benito Villamarin on April 19, 2018 in Seville, . (Photo by Aitor Alcalde Colomer/Getty Images) /

One of the main reasons why Real Betis might make a return to European football next season is their youth academy product Fabián Ruiz. After returning from loan at Elche, he has broke into the first-team under Quique Setién and made an impact.

In this era where football is dominated by monetary power, it is surprising to find a youth talent breaking into the first-team and making an instant impression, and become one of the leading figures on the pitch.

Barcelona have taken notice of his development, and monitoring his progress under Setién. The club scouts believe that he can be a potential successor to Andrés Iniesta, who is set to leave for China at the end of the season.

Of course, the 22-year doesn’t have the ability to create the same storm at Barcelona as he did at the Benito Villamarín. He will need to be an understudy to Philippe Coutinho, but he can develop into a world-class player in the coming seasons.

But Real Betis are unlikely to let him go easily. Recently, the playmaker signed a 5-year contract in Betis, and he will have a chance to play in the Europa League regularly next season. Both the club and the player will be hard to convince in this case.

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The club’s hands are fettered if a club is ready to splash the cash on Fabián Ruiz. The youngster’s new contract has a release clause of €30 million, and it is a reasonable fee for a player with his potential.

But Barça representatives have their work cut out trying to convince Fabián Ruiz to move to Barcelona. He has been at Real Betis his entire career, and is basically living the dream at his boyhood club.

Real Betis have a chance of playing in continental competition next season, and he might bring his hometown club glory on a continental level. This season itself, he has scored twice and provided 6 assists in 30 appearances.

But he is the complete package for Barça, and resembles Iniesta in several ways, unlike Luis Alberto and Denis Suárez. Ruiz is an excellent dribbler, and can take dangerous long shots. He also frequently finds key passes and provides through balls.

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The club would do well to sign Fabián Ruiz. He is an interesting prospect for the future, and may turn into a first-team playmaker and compete with Philippe Coutinho for a place in the first-team in the near future.

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