Barcelona will not be triggering the purchase option on Ghanaian midfielder Abdul Aziz Issah, drawing a sudden and disappointing close to what many believed would be the beginning of a fruitful European journey, SPORT has reported.
Signing on loan in September 2024 from Dreams FC in Ghana, Issah's transfer to Catalonia was met with expectation.
His involvement in first-team training sessions with Hansi-Dieter Flick early on raised expectations, with the perception that the club had discovered a gem.
Reality at his time at Barcelona, though, is otherwise. Issah played a total of 26 minutes in two matches for Barcelona Atletic - a glimpse of the potential that saw him stand out in Ghana's junior ranks.
Despite a screaming need for options in midfield and injuries in the squad, he was left out of matchday squads for months on end, stoking speculation about his development and integration into the team.
The contrast with his situation at Barcelona and his brilliance playing for Ghana at the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations could not be more stark.
His form in the tournament resuscitated discussion of his potential, but not sufficiently to influence Barcelona's technical team.
By letting his buyout clause expire, the club has missed out on the opportunity to sign a player who still has a lot of upside.