Barcelona Mulls Clement Lenglet’s Loan Recall Amidst His Struggles at Aston Villa

Since Xavi Hernandez assumed the role of head coach at Barcelona in November 2021, Clement Lenglet has found himself out of the manager’s plans. The French defender has encountered difficulties since his transfer from Sevilla and has gradually fallen down the pecking order over the past two years.

In the summer of 2022, Lenglet embarked on a season-long loan to Tottenham Hotspur but failed to leave a significant mark in North London. This season, he returned to the Premier League, joining Aston Villa for the 2023-24 campaign. Unfortunately, his fortunes have not improved.

Lenglet has yet to make an appearance in the Premier League, despite featuring in all three of Aston Villa’s Europa Conference League group stage matches. This predicament has left Barcelona discontent, leading to reports that they are contemplating a January recall for Lenglet with the intention of loaning him to a Spanish club.

According to sources, Real Betis and Sevilla have expressed interest in obtaining Lenglet on loan. If regulations permit, Barcelona aims to send him to one of these clubs if his situation at Aston Villa doesn’t show signs of improvement in the coming weeks.

As of now, Aston Villa appears content with Lenglet, as he is set to start in their upcoming fixture against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday. Barcelona will continue to monitor the situation closely as the winter transfer window approaches.