Why Abel Ruiz must be offered a new Barcelona contract immediately

Abel Ruiz has taken the world by storm with his stellar performances for Spain in the U-17 World Cup. Sure, the 5-2 defeat in the final after blowing a 2-0 lead will hurt for a while but, even taking that into consideration, it is clear that Abel was one of the most influential players of the tournament.

The 17-year-old youngster impressed thanks to his strength, dynamism and, more importantly, composure in front of the opponents’ goal. Fortunately for Cules, there is no need to invest an insane amount of money to bring the player to the Catalan capital as he is already with us!

Barcelona signed Ruiz from Valencia in the summer of 2012 and his progression has gone from strength to strength ever since. His almost innate ability to always position himself in the right spot has already earned him the admiration of teammates, coaches and rivals alike. Undoubtedly, the Almussafes-born forward has enough talent to, with the correct nurturing and mentorship, make an impact at first-team level in the next two to three years.

Currently fighting for a starting spot for Gerard Lopez’s B team, it is clear that major European clubs are not going to waste a second to try to lure the player away from the Catalan capital. As we discussed in Episode 45 of ‘The Barcelona Podcast’, Josep Maria Bartomeu should make Ruiz’s contract renewal an urgent priority in order to avoid the departure of yet another La Masia graduate in the making.

The reported €3 million his hypothetical sale would bring to Barcelona are simply not worth it. We discussed Ruiz’s release clause, as well as Messi’s rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo and the resurgence of Javier Mascherano, right here:



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