Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick reportedly views a young talent from the club’s academy as a future alternative to Lamine Yamal within the senior squad.
According to Diario Sport, this promising player is Toni Fernández, who has been steadily rising through the ranks in Catalunya.
The 16-year-old attacker has been regularly participating in first-team training sessions during the early part of the season, after impressing Flick and his staff with a strong pre-season showing.
Due to his standout performances, Toni has been given a longer opportunity to showcase his abilities at a senior level.
Although he has yet to make his debut, Toni has already made the bench for five of Barcelona’s fixtures, signaling that his first-team appearance could be approaching.
Sport reports that Flick sees Toni as a versatile player, capable of playing both as a midfielder and further forward. However, the head coach currently envisions him as a “false right winger,” a role in which he could provide depth alongside Lamine Yamal.
As Yamal recovers from injury, Flick and his staff are expected to closely monitor both players, with the goal of assessing Toni’s potential to contribute to the first team in the near future.
