Fabrizio Romano confirms Barcelona striker set to leave

Barcelona have agreed to loan 24-year-old striker Rey Manaj to the Italian side Spezia with an option to buy.

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The former Barca B striker had an impressive pre-season, scoring a hattrick against Gimnastic in the opening match of the season, followed by another goal against Girona. Many believed that Manaj could potentially become the ideal substitute to fill the gap in Barca’s no. 9 role.

While the arrival of Memphis Depay and Sergio Aguero was aimed towards strengthening the squad’s attack, president Joan Laporta is keen on signing a proper striker this summer. With the transfer deadline only hours away, and Aguero out with a long-term injury, it may not have been the best decision to loan the striker at the time of need.

Barcelona loan Rey Manaj

Despite this, Laporta has agreed to loan Manaj to Spezia for 300,000 euros with the Italian side having the option to make it a permanent signing for just 2.7 million euros. Manaj scored 14 goals in 22 matches last season and could have been a great alternative for Martin Braithwaite.

If Barca fail to sign a striker before the transfer window expires, they could potentially regret this decision especially if they suffer more injuries. Laporta is currently negotiating with Atletico Madrid for a swap deal between Antoine Griezmann and Joao Felix, and even Edinson Cavani was largely rumored to have been contacted by the club.

Should Barca have given Manaj more playing minutes to prove his worth, or is the loan spell the ideal option for the striker?