A cheap alternative to Adama Traoré. Abde has to play for Barcelona’s A team next season

Valuable player with experience. Abde Ezzalzouli is only 20 years old, but he has already had a taste of what it’s like to play for Xavi Hernandez’s team. The young winger is exactly the type of player that Barcelona have been trying to acquire for years. While he is definitely not a fighter for the starting lineup, he could provide his team with some competition. Let’s take a look at his main strengths.

Abde arrived in the Catalan capital last year from Hércules. He got his playing space in the B team, where he played 21 games last season, scoring three goals and assisting seven. However, during the autumn months and at the turn of the year he had to move to the A team due to personnel problems.

He did not do badly at all, as he got into the game eleven times and scored one goal. Mostly he put in hilarious and cheeky performances. The Moroccan is not tied to one side. He allows himself to dribble both ways. This means he can stretch the play to the touchline once and then go straight to the centre or the whitewash on the next attacking attempt.

He averaged 4.5 dribbles per 90 minutes in the A-team. We won’t be far off if we label him as the most natural dribbler that Barcelona have now. He doesn’t just rely on his physicality, but he likes to go for curves in order to outplay his opponents spectacularly. He hits them from the left, but also from the right. Xavi can therefore use him without any problem on both wings.

He is not tied down. His main weapon is speed. His first steps in particular are decisive in one-on-one fights. He also has a high pace, so with the ball at his feet he leaves defenders behind when he gets past them. It’s not easy to keep up with him.

He certainly doesn’t have a problem in limited space, but once he gets it, it’s even more dangerous for the opposition. Given his young age, he needs to improve in many aspects of his game. Decision making, final pass selection and crosses. He definitely needs to work on that.

For the first team, he averaged only 0.09 in expected assists (xA) per 90 minutes on the field. Still, he remains a player with great potential. Mainly because of the economic problems of the Catalan big club. Watching him may remind many of Adama Traore’s style of play. He may replace him in the line-up for next season.

The club would not have to pay Wolverhampton a sum of up to €30 million for the Spanish winger after the end of his loan spell, which will play a big role in deciding his future. In simple terms. Xavi will give a young striker, proven by the reserve team, a chance in the first team. He will get a much needed promising player on the wing and he won’t have to pay a euro for him.

Source: Twitter