Jesse Bisiwu first trained with the FC Barcelona first-team setup on August 1 following his €8.5 million move after months of negotiations with Club Brugge.
More than two weeks have now passed since, and the Belgian has made it through Hansi Flick’s first selection, with the coaching staff having high hopes on him, reports SPORT.
Bisiwu remains with the first team despite the return of the internationals and the gradual reduction in the number of academy players, many of whom have returned to the reserve side or are training separately while waiting for moves.
That still leaves one of the season’s biggest questions unanswered at Barça: will he spend more time with the first team or with the reserve side?
For now, the club has treated him as another member of Flick’s squad. First came the media exposure surrounding his signing, followed by his inclusion in the first-team squad on the club’s official website.
Bisiwu arrived from Club Brugge. (Photo courtesy: FC Barcelona official website)
Bisiwu already made his Barça debut in the friendly against Udinese, coming off the bench for 30 minutes, and he is expected to feature prominently this Sunday against Basel in another preseason match.
Early impressions
The 18-year-old winger’s debut was affected by the nerves of making his first appearance, and he only offered glimpses of a player whose characteristics have drawn comparisons with Ousmane Dembele.
During these first few weeks, his teammates have already seen in training that he is a special talent, but also one who needs to become more decisive if he is to make an impact at the highest level.
On his first day wearing the Barça shirt, he already showed that he has not fully developed the habit of pressing consistently. Finishing is another area with considerable room for improvement, particularly the accuracy of his shooting.
High hopes on Bisiwu. (Photo courtesy: FC Barcelona official website)
Flick’s young oroject
So far, both in his debut and in training, Flick has used him as a left winger, where he faces competition from Raphinha and Anthony Gordon. The Belgian can also play on the right, but he feels more comfortable on the left.
The German coach is working to polish one of the club’s biggest young prospects in recent years.
Bisiwu wants to earn a permanent place in the first-team squad. There are high hopes for a player the coaching staff believe can be prepared for the elite level.