Barcelona contract rebel left out of reserve team squad again as future grows uncertain | OneFootball

Barcelona academy gem Pau Prim, an undisputed starter for Barça Atletic until the end of last year, was left out of the reserve team squad for the second consecutive time on Sunday.

The midfielder’s absence comes amid stalled contract renewal negotiations, casting major doubts over his future at the club, reports SPORT.

What’s the story?

Pau Prim, 18, is widely regarded as one of the most promising defensive midfielders in La Masia and had been long tipped for a first-team berth.

However, things have not gone according to plan for the youngster, who fell behind Marc Bernal in the pecking order last season, despite the latter being younger than him.

Now with Bernal and Marc Casado being promoted to the first-team squad this season, Prim became a regular in the reserve team squad and was one of Barça Atletic’s most consistent players this term under Albert Sanchez.

However, concerns about his progression to the first-team setup have led to him and his camp becoming hesitant to sign a new contract, with his current one expiring at the end of the season.

Negotiations have come to a standstill and this has led to Barcelona excluding him from the Barça Atletic squad for two games in a row – first vs. Cultural Leonesa and now against Ponferradina.

The season remains long, and the standoff continues to escalate, which is not ideal for either party.

Prim’s contract expires on 30 June, and with his future uncertain, he seems to be on the way out of the club. For now, the decision has been made not to play him.