A Progress Report on FC Porto's Barcelona Loanee Cristian Tello

Cristian Tello will not make it at FC Barcelona. That much is clear.

The winger, born in Sabadell, Catalunya, made his debut for the Barcelona first team back in 2011, but the years since have not been particularly kind to him.

Although we will look at how he has progressed, firstly it's clear there is no space for him at the Camp Nou.

For one, the Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar forward line is untouchable. Even the normally reserved Luis Enrique has wondered, in public, whether they are the best striking trio in the history of football.

Per the Barcelona website, the Asturian coach said: “I think Suarez, Messi and Neymar form the best attacking threesome in Barca history. And probably of all time. I don’t really know enough about football history to truly be able to say, but I don’t think anyone has managed to do better than they have. They are three top, top level players”.

Ariel Schalit/Associated Press

And even beyond those three undoubted starters, there are now new, younger players in the squad. Munir El Haddadi and Sandro Ramirez have both impressed and disappointed at different times, but for now, they are the back-up options.

And per Sport, Luis Enrique would like another forward, but not one with Tello's profile, instead a more central striking option. Didac Peyret wrote: "The profile they want is a player who can take Suarez's role if necessary, because there are no players with similar characteristics in the group."

He believes the club are monitoring Paraguayan hitman Oscar Cardozo, as well as Valencia striker Alvaro Negredo—strong players with presence and fight, and less of the mercurial Tello's disposition.

Tom Kundert of Portugoal.net spoke to Bleacher Report about Tello's progress at Porto in Portugal.

Barcelona loaned him there in July 2014, on a two-year deal, which gives Porto the option to buy him at the end of this season.

Ariel Schalit/Associated Press

He had featured five times for Tata Martino in the season Barcelona lost the title to Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou on the final day. Despite being a local lad, he is not someone supporters of the Catalan side fancy to make an impact for them at the top level. And he hasn't been pulling up any trees in Portugal either. Kundert said:

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Tello has had his moments, notably a brilliant hat-trick against Sporting last season, but they have been few and far between. He had a little purple patch at the start of this season when he seemed to finally be getting some consistency, but then went off the boil again. Undoubtedly talented but doesn't seem to have the mindset to become a truly top player, too often he goes missing.

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Although Porto were thrilled to bring him in from Barcelona, the fact of the matter is he has been put in the shade by the performances of some of his team-mates, including Brahimi, youngster Hernani and veteran winger Ricardo Quaresma.

The 32-year-old was always viewed as someone who could shine one moment and be awful the next, but he has finally found some consistency, drawing from his years of experience.

Israel l.Murillo/Associated Press

Porto manager Julen Lopetegui, once a former Barcelona player himself, uses Tello as he sees fit, which sometimes means as a substitute. Since October, four of his eight appearances have been as a substitute.

Tello impressed against Maccabi Tel Aviv, scoring and setting one up, but hasn't been able to convince his coach that he should be a key presence in the side.

There is nothing to stop him finding some consistency and going on to have a good career, perhaps at Porto, or elsewhere.

He could even go back home to Spain and be a part of Espanyol's project, given the other team in Barcelona have recently enjoyed some new investment. But things would have to change drastically for him to play at the Camp Nou again in anything other than an away strip.