Reports said Barcelona midfielder Brian Fariñas plans to stay patient rather than seek a winter loan after not playing under Hansi Flick. He is the only outfield player in Barcelona's first-team squad yet to play a single minute this season despite being fully available to Flick.
Current stance
The programme Barça Reservats says Fariñas is taking the situation calmly and patiently and is treating the year as a chance to learn alongside the best players in the world, in particular Lamine Yamal. Barça Reservats also says that, for now, he is not weighing up a loan move in the winter window, though the next two months will prove decisive.
Flick's message
Flick talks to Fariñas constantly, handing out instructions and correcting his mistakes to push his development. Flick keeps urging Fariñas to carry on working exactly as he is, so he is ready to grab his moment when it arrives.
Summer move and contract
According to Sport newspaper, Fariñas came close to joining Girona this summer before Flick stepped in and blocked the move. As Sport reported in mid-September, Fariñas has edged closer to extending his current contract at Barcelona, which runs out in 2028.
Openings in the squad
GOAL says Eric García, Jules Koundé and Dani Olmo have joined an absentee list that already featured Roony Bardghji and Andreas Christensen. GOAL says Olmo's physical problems could open a door for players still waiting on a prominent role, and Fariñas could benefit from the run of changes, though he sits at the bottom of the pecking order for minutes as a pivot or advanced midfielder. As Sport reported in mid-September, with a few final details left for both sides to iron out, Fariñas will earn a salary that matches his new standing in the first team, and the release clause in his deal, currently set at 15 million euros, will rise too.