What Does the Future Hold for Alen Halilovic at Barcelona?

Alen Halilovic isn't thinking about his future at Barcelona for now. There are more important matters at hand.

The Croatian star, on loan at Sporting Gijon, is part of the Asturian side's battle for survival in the Spanish top flight.

Currently 18th with 28 points, they are scrapping with Getafe, Levante, Granada and Rayo Vallecano to stay in La Liga.

This fight is so consuming that even a recent call-up to the Croatia national team squad wasn't much of a distraction to the midfielder.

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According to Sport he said he was thinking about "saving the team" he plays for, rather than the international break which has now passed.

"They called me to the national squad and that's something I have to be grateful to Sporting for, and my team-mates, it's thanks to them I'm back in Croatia's first-team," Halilovic said.

This is the first season where he has been let loose on the league, after spending last year with Barcelona B.

Barcelona signed him from Dinamo Zagreb in 2014, letting him grow with the second side in the 2014-15 season, before agreeing to let Sporting take him in August 2015.

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While on loan, he has shown much of the talent that Barcelona's scouts noted in the first place. When he is on the pitch, Halilovic becomes a magnet for the ball.

However, coach Abelardo has decided Halilovic can sometimes be a luxury player, for a team with survival at stake.

He was picked to start for 17 games in a row in the first half of the season, playing 90 minutes on most occasions.

However, on his last 13 appearances he has only played the full 90 on three occasions. On eight of those, he has come on as a substitute.

If Halilovic was ready to play for Barcelona then he would be featuring more regularly for Sporting.

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There is some argument that he might do better at a better team, one with a stronger defence and midfield but lacking a little creativity.

His agent Zoran Stojadinovic thinks that is the case and told COPE Asturias radio station (h/t Sport) that he is looking for a new club for the 19-year-old next season after discussing the matter with Barcelona.

"We have spoken with them and Barcelona are suggesting he uses another step, bigger than Sporting, to see if he can sharpen his talent," he said.

"Barcelona in no moment want to sell Alen because they believe in him and what they want is to loan him out for another year."

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That seems like a sensible move, speaking for all parties. Barcelona have a talent on their hands but know he won’t get the football he needs at the Camp Nou.

Halilovic would be behind Andres Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic, Sergi Roberto, Rafinha and Arda Turan at Camp Nou, in the battle for one of the two midfield spots ahead of Sergio Busquets.

However, letting him go doesn’t make sense either, because he has a big projection. While he needs to become considerably more consistent with his output, the idea that he could one day be Barcelona’s creative hub in midfield isn’t so far-flung.

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In his last eight appearances, all he has managed to create in terms of end product is one assist. Remarkably it’s been 22 games since Iniesta managed to provide an assist or score a goal, but he is so brilliantly consistent with his passing and approach play, there is no worry for Barcelona regarding his form.

Halilovic is still erratic when it comes to his passing and gives away possession a lot—so for him to make a net-positive impact on a game he needs to play the key passes that dissect a defence.

The two clubs he has been linked to are Valencia and Sevilla, per Sport. Both would help him, but perhaps following in Denis Suarez’s footsteps at the Andalusian side might be the best idea.