• La Liga

Afellay may go out on loan

ESPN staff
August 6, 2012
Ibrahim Afellay is eager to play regular football © Getty Images
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A host of Europe's leading clubs have been alerted by an admission from Ibrahim Afellay's agent that the Barcelona midfielder could be available on a season-loan deal.

Premier league sides Arsenal and Liverpool have been linked with Netherlands international Afellay, while Serie A clubs Inter Milan, Lazio, AC Milan and Fiorentina, as well as Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund and French club Lille, are also reportedly interested.

"Afellay could go out on loan for a year," his representative, Rob Jansen, told Italian reporters over the weekend. "Yes, that is a possibility."

Afellay, 26, joined Barcelona from PSV Eindhoven in January 2011, and immediately played a key role in the club's victorious Champions League campaign. He has since struggled to hold down a first-team place at the Camp Nou and missed most of last season with a serious cruciate ligament injury.

He returned in time to play a part in all three games in Netherlands' disappointing Euro 2012 campaign and has featured regularly for Barcelona in pre-season friendlies so far under new head coach Tito Vilanova, starting Saturday night's penalty shootout win over Paris Saint-Germain.

However, with Spain's Euro 2012 contingent now back in contention, his opportunities are expected to be more limited.

Next up for Barcelona is a friendly against Premier League side Manchester United on Wednesday evening in Gothenburg.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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