Official: Barcelona confirm loan exit for highly-rated youngster

The LaLiga giants have confirmed a January exit for the midfielder, who hopes to impress in his spell away from Camp Nou.

Barcelona have confirmed Carles Alena’s loan move to Getafe until the end of the season. No buy option has been included, meaning the midfielder will return to Camp Nou once the deal has expired.

Alena, a product of the club’s famed La Masia academy, has struggled to break into the first-team. He made just five appearances in all competitions under Ronald Koeman this season, including two in La Liga.

The 23-year-old has, therefore, headed off to Madrid to spend the second half of the 2020/21 campaign on loan at Getafe.

“FC Barcelona and Getafe CF have reached an agreement for the loan of the player Carles Alena until the end of the 2020/21 season,” read a club statement.

“The Madrid club will take over the player’s wages.”

Getafe’s La Liga rivals Deportivo Alaves, Villarreal, and Eibar had all reportedly enquired for Alena, along with Portuguese giants Benfica.

The midfielder hopes to enjoy a similarly successful spell on loan at Getafe as he did with Real Betis last season, with whom he made 19 appearances in the second half of the 2019/20 campaign.