The Arsenal would have tried the signing of Riqui Puig in January

The past market of signings of winter, the Arsenal fichó to Martin Ødegaard​ pertinent of the Real Madrid. However, the Norwegian would not have been the first option but it was Riqui Puig, midfield player of the FC Barcelona, the footballer that Mikel Arteta wanted to complete his centre of the field. Nevertheless, the Barça preferred to retain him not to shorten more his staff.

The Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano desveló the sucedido. "At the beginning of the market of signings​, the Arsenal made a serious attempt to bring to Riqui Puig yielded with an option of purchase, in a similar agreement to the of Ødegaard. The Barcelona decided to expect some weeks to value what thought Koeman and the own player. Around the middle of January, the club gave his refusal and wanted to retain it", ensured.

Since Ronald Koeman arrived to the bench of the FC Barcelona, the leadership of Riqui Puig has been very scarce. The canterano has had minutes in dropper and, in spite of the injury of Philippe Coutinho and to the exit of Carles Aleñá as yielded to the Getafe, the canterano has kept on being exactly the same for the Dutch technician: a revulsivo for parties in which the marker is against.

In spite of that Riqui Puig adds very few minutes this season, in all the parties that has contested has left the feeling to be a player very aprovechable and that it would have to have options to litigate by the titularity. It is a midfield player with one hundred by one hundred 'DNA Barça' and squanders talent to piles, in addition to some qualities in the pass and the circulation that could benefit a lot to the forwards.

From some media ensured that Ronald Koeman had an important rifirrefe with Riqui Puig at the beginning of season, since it considered him a filtrador of information. Given the evident talent and service that the canterano can offer him to the team, the anger of the Dutch seems can be the only logical explanation so that this do not have more minutes.

Riqui Puig, with more options since it plays with 4-3-3

In the last parties, Ronald Koeman has recovered the 4-3-3 classical in the FC Barcelona, the one who employs two interiors. Riqui Puig feels especially comfortable in this role, since it is the natural position that has occupied in the inferior categories. It will be necessary to see if, with the irregularity of results, the technician culé gives his arm to twist with the young midfield player.