Xavi Hernandez had some crucial decisions to make ahead of his first full season as the manager of FC Barcelona this past summer. While some calls seemed harsh, they were a necessity given the high competition in the squad.
The overcrowded midfield saw close to eight players fighting for a starting spot, and it was clear that some had to leave in search of more minutes. Alex Collado and Nico Gonzalez were this sacrificed for the greater good, in the hope that they would return better than they left.
The former joined Elche on a season-long loan with no purchase option but has seen little improvement in his situation in the field – both in terms of quality and quantity.
According to reports from SPORT, Collado is considering the possibility of cutting short his spell at Elche and moving to new pastures in search of minutes. He has received interest from two clubs outside of Spain – Olympiakos and Sassuolo and is tempted by the prospect of continuing his development in a new country.
Both teams are in starkly different situations in terms of domestic performance. While the Greek club are outside Europe’s top-five leagues, they sit third on the standings and promise a good project. Sassuolo, on the other hand, play in the more competitive Serie A but languish in 15th place.
Collado has started eight games for Elche this season, scoring one goal and providing one assist. However, the fact that the team have changed five managers in the season speaks volumes about why he is unhappy.
Pablo Machin’s side are winless in 14 games and sit at the bottom of the table, seven points behind the team above them.
So, Collado, whose situation has been affected by this constant managerial merry-go-round, could decide to cut short his loan spell at Elche and move elsewhere.
His contract with Barcelona runs until 2024, meaning he will be back at Xavi’s disposal in the summer, at which point his future will again be a subject of speculation