Recent speculation surrounding Barcelona and Sweden winger Roony Bardghji has intensified. The 20-year-old, who will not feature in the upcoming 2026 World Cup, has been the subject of rumors linking him with a summer move away from the Spotify Camp Nou.
Bardghji’s absence from Sweden’s 26-man squad for the tournament in North America came as a surprise. While he was part of the team during their playoff success in March, he will not be involved in the main competition.
Following this exclusion, Swedish media reported that head coach Graham Potter’s decision was not solely based on sporting merit, but rather on concerns about the player’s attitude. Bardghji has now strongly refuted these claims in a statement to Expressen (via Sport).
“I decided not to comment on my failure to be selected for the World Cup, as I understood that it was simply Graham Potter’s decision. I’ve always respected the decisions of my coaches, whether I agreed or not.
“I understood that I had to speak because the rumours spread in that article had no basis. I was very happy and proud that we qualified for the World Cup, even though I didn’t participate from the pitch. I still feel like I’m part of the team. All those rumours that have been said about me are nonsense. Contrary to what was said, I really enjoyed the post-match dinner. We celebrated with my teammates, just like I did after winning La Liga with Barcelona last week.”
What will happen with Bardghji this summer?
Despite missing out on the World Cup, the upcoming summer is set to be significant for Bardghji. A departure from Barcelona appears a strong possibility, especially if he is reluctant to continue playing a secondary role to Lamine Yamal on the right flank.
