Barcelona have included teenage winger Jesse Bissio on the first-team section of their official website, despite the club yet to decide whether he will remain with Hansi Flick’s senior squad or begin the season with the reserves.
The move has prompted questions over the 18-year-old’s immediate future, with Barcelona still assessing how quickly he can adapt to the demands of first-team football. Although the club have taken several steps since completing his transfer this summer, Bissio has not yet been registered as a first-team player.
The Belgian joined Barcelona from Club Brugge on a contract running until 2031. The Catalan club completed the deal for €8.5m, plus potential add-ons, and officially presented the player at a ceremony attended by president Joan Laporta.
According to Sport, Bissio’s appearance on Barcelona’s senior-team list “goes beyond being explained as a simple update”. The report says the listing is better understood as a sign of the sporting department’s confidence in his potential than as confirmation that his status has been settled.
Barcelona believe the winger has the qualities needed to develop close to the first team, even though he has limited experience in professional football. His age and lack of senior exposure mean the club are continuing to weigh the benefits of an immediate promotion against the need to give him more time to develop.
Bissio’s pace, dribbling ability and versatility across several attacking positions were among the factors that encouraged sporting director Deco to move quickly for the player. His performances for Club Brugge, particularly in the youth Champions League, strengthened Barcelona’s conviction that he is one of the most promising young players available.
Flick is expected to make the final decision during the opening weeks of the new season. If the German manager concludes that Bissio is ready to compete at the highest level, the teenager will become a permanent member of the first-team group.
Should Flick decide that Bissio requires further experience, however, Barcelona will register him with the reserve side. He would still remain part of the first team’s wider plans and could be called upon when required.
The player’s inclusion on the club website therefore does not settle the question of where he will play. Instead, it underlines the importance Barcelona attach to his development and the scale of their investment in one of Belgium’s leading emerging talents.
For now, Bissio remains in a period of evaluation, with his first-team prospects dependent on Flick’s assessment rather than the information displayed on Barcelona’s website.
