Barca chief Laporta springs transfer surprise with permanent deal for Ghana winger Abdul Aziz Issah

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has stunned supporters by revealing that Ghanaian winger Abdul Aziz Issah has been signed permanently for the club’s B team – and will train with Hansi Flick’s first team – in a move announced not in Catalonia, but on the streets of New York.

The unexpected declaration comes as Barca step up an urgent search for a new No 9 ahead of the new season.

Laporta, who is in the United States for the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, disclosed the decision during an impromptu street encounter with a fellow Ghanaian, according to Catalan daily Sport.

Street-side revelation in New York

Sport reports that while Laporta was walking through the streets of New York, a Ghanaian man approached him to ask about the future of Aziz Issah, who has spent the last two seasons on loan at Barcelona Athletic from Dreams FC in Ghana.

Laporta’s reply left onlookers taken aback.

“I know Aziz. We have signed him for our reserve team, and now he will train with the first team. He is a great player,” the Barca president is quoted as saying.

The conversation, casually delivered far from the Camp Nou and without an official club statement, effectively confirmed that Barcelona have executed a permanent deal for the 19-year-old winger and intend to integrate him into first‐team training under new coach Hansi Flick.

Plans change after loan expiry

Issah’s loan from Dreams FC officially expired on 30 June, and, according to Sport, the original sporting plan did not include a mandatory or expected purchase option.

However, Laporta’s public confirmation signals a clear shift in thinking within the club’s hierarchy, suggesting the youngster has done enough during his spell with Barcelona Athletic to convince the decision-makers to keep him.

Sport adds that the Ghanaian attacker is scheduled to travel from Ghana at the end of this week and is due to land in Barcelona on Sunday. He is expected to report immediately for pre-season, joining Flick’s first training sessions on Monday 20 July as the German coach begins his preparations for the upcoming campaign.

First-team training amid hunt for a No 9

Issah’s imminent presence in first-team training comes at a time when Barcelona are intensifying efforts to reinforce their attacking line, particularly in the centre-forward role Flick is said to prioritise.

Within the club, the preferred option remains Argentina international Julian Alvarez, whom Sport – in a report that appears to contain an error – describes as a star of Atletico Madrid. In reality, Alvarez plays for Manchester City, but the paper reports that strained relations with Atletico and the Spanish side’s firm refusal to sell the player they are targeting have complicated Barcelona’s pursuit.

The tensions and resistance in those negotiations have forced Barca’s sporting department to explore alternative options in the market, even as they move to secure emerging talents like Issah for the future.

Signal of trust in youth pathway

By locking down Abdul Aziz Issah and giving him access to first-team training, Barcelona are sending a fresh signal that their long-standing model of blending home-grown and young external talent remains central to their rebuilding project.

The Ghanaian will officially be part of the reserve squad, but regular involvement with Flick’s senior group could offer him an accelerated pathway to competitive minutes if he impresses during pre-season.

For now, the story of Barca’s latest signing is as notable for the way it emerged – via a chance conversation in New York – as it is for what it reveals about the club’s evolving plans in attack ahead of a pivotal season.