The odd case of Jandro Orellana. Will he leave?

Day number 18 being out of contract for Jandro Orellana. Frustratingly, the 20-year-old’s future is still up in the air, and he could well depart for good in this summer. It’s absolutely ridiculous that a player of his profile is not prioritised when it comes to a contract extension.

Jandro is the future. Of all the pivots that we have had since Busquets, no one comes close to him. He has everything a Barça-type pivot needs: pinpoint-accurate positioning, top-notch spatial awareness, sublime vision and immense passing range. Without the ball, his pressing prowess stands out, as Orellana is capable of immediately closing down space and his opponent’s options. His intelligence compensates for his lack of physicality, making him a nightmare to defend against.

Negotiations ongoing

Jandro’s hesitation is understandable. He is to turn 21 soon and is yet to make his first team debut, even though everyone apart from Ronald Koeman knows he deserves it. Staying with Barça B won’t benefit him, especially given he spent the latter part of the 20/21 season as an interior due to Koeman preferring Nico González in his position. He is worried about his future, and so are the fans.

When will we learn from our mistakes? When will the board finally perceive the importance of a replacement for Sergio Busquets? Replacing el Pulpo is tougher than replacing Lionel Messi, because being Barça’s pivot means fitting an extremely specific mould. Samper and Oriol weren’t handed the opportunity, nor has Jandro, though we still have the chance to alter the fortunes of the latter.

In Jandro Orellana, we have Busquets’ heir right before our eyes. He’s the sole young positional pivot in our disposal, and losing him would be catastrophic. But if the club doesn’t value him, I sincerely hope Orellana can find a better club for his development.