Barcelona forward suffers second ACL tear to scupper Premier League transfer move

Barcelona forward Bardghji has suffered a devastating ACL tear in his right knee, the Spanish champions confirmed on Tuesday. The injury has completely scuppered plans for the Sweden international to be transferred before the summer window closes on September 1.

The 20-year-old sustained the severe injury during a training session on Monday. Medical tests confirmed he requires surgery in the coming days, leaving him facing months on the sidelines. The setback comes at a terrible time for Bardghji, who was actively preparing for a move away from the Catalan club following conversations with the management.

In a cruel twist of fate, the injury occurred just days after coach Flick communicated to Bardghji that he should search for a new club. Per ESPN, Flick honestly advised the player that first-team minutes would be extremely difficult to come by at Barca in the upcoming campaign.

To protect the player from potential injury prior to a summer departure, Bardghji was deliberately left out of the squad for Saturday's friendly matches against Nottingham Forest and Udinese. However, the winger ultimately suffered the tear during training on Monday. Barcelona had already fielded enquiries from across Europe, including interest from the Premier League, with transfer talks expected to accelerate prior to the tragic setback.

This marks the second time the Sweden international has suffered a torn ACL in his right knee. Bardghji previously sustained the exact same severe injury while playing for Copenhagen back in 2024. The winger joined Barcelona last summer in a deal worth approximately €2 million from Copenhagen. He went on to make 28 appearances across all competitions during his debut season in Spain, scoring two goals.

However, the majority of his outings came off the substitutes' bench. His prospects for regular action were set to diminish even further following the summer arrivals of forwards Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi.

With the transfer window closing on September 1, the severe injury completely closes the door on any potential exit for Bardghji this summer. The 20-year-old will undergo surgery in the coming days before commencing a long period of rehabilitation in Barcelona. He will now spend the upcoming campaign recovering at the club rather than completing a move elsewhere. Bardghji will focus entirely on his recovery as he attempts to overcome a second major knee setback in his young career.