Barca confirm Samper stay and new shirt number

The midfielder is part of the first-team squad

Barcelona confirmed on Tuesday that Sergi Samper will stay with the club for the rest of the season and has been handed the No. 16 shirt.

The 23-year-old has spent the last two seasons out on loan but will be part of Ernesto Valverde’s squad for the rest of the campaign.

“Sergi Samper will be wearing number 16 as a first team member this season.

“After seasons on loan to first Granada and then Las Palmas, FC Barcelona and the 23-year-old product of La Masia have reached an agreement for the latter to remain at Camp Nou for the 2018/19 season.”

Source | FC Barcelona

The midfielder takes over the No. 16 shirt from Gerard Deulofeu who left earlier in the summer for Watford. It’s also the number Sergio Busquets used to wear before swapping to No. 5.

Samper has struggled with injury in recent weeks. A knee injury saw him pull out of the US tour and he’s also since picked up an ankle problem

Hopefully he can enjoy an injury-free run in this campaign, but he faces a tough battle to force his way into the first team this season.

Source: barcablaugranes.com