Guillem Balague thinks Leeds-linked Riqui Puig needs to ‘come down to earth’

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Leeds United were linked with a number of playmaking midfielders over the summer transfer window, but didn’t bring one in.

Rodrigo De Paul and Michael Cuisance were among the names Leeds considered, but they prioritised a winger instead as Raphinha arrived from Rennes.

That means Rodrigo has been used as an attacking midfielder of late, but it may still be a position Leeds consider looking at in January.

90Min recently reported that Leeds were being offered a deal for Barcelona talent Riqui Puig, with Marcelo Bielsa potentially able to take him on loan.

Puig has been touted as Barcelona’s next big thing, but he has yet to really convince Ronald Koeman having played just four times this season for a total of 77 minutes.

The 21-year-old needs playing time to prove himself, and that may mean he has to go out on loan, with a move to play under a manager as progressive as Marcelo Bielsa potentially ideal.

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has now been asked about Puig, and noted that three managers – Ernesto Valverde, Quique Setien and now Ronald Koeman – haven’t been convinced by him yet.

Balague added that Puig maybe thinks he is a little better than he really is right now, and needs to ‘come down to earth’ because he isn’t good enough for Barcelona at the moment despite his own belief.

“If Riqui Puig has had three managers keeping an eye on him, seeing him in training every day, and do not see the possibility of him being a big solution at Barcelona, that should tell you a lot,” said Balague.

“He seems to have been a little bit… one or two steps ahead, perhaps he has too much confidence in his possibilities when he hasn’t actually shown anything, and that doesn’t tend to go down well in the Barcelona changing room. Riqui Puig is one that not only players are questioning, but also the manager himself. He will find his way, he has been invited to leave the club, to go somewhere he can play, but and he’s like ‘no no, I’m good enough to play for Barcelona’, but he’s not, not right now. He needs to actually come down to earth,” he added.