Bisiwu makes an immediate impression

Jesse Bisiwu has made a fast start to life at Barcelona, scoring twice in the club’s friendly victory over FC Basel and strengthening the belief that he could become an important prospect for the Catalan side.

The young winger has only recently joined Barcelona, but his early performances have already attracted praise from Devy Rigaux, the former Club Brugge sporting director who helped negotiate the transfer.

‘He has that X factor’

Rigaux said Bisiwu was highly sought after before choosing Barcelona and described him as a player with the technical quality and personality to thrive at the club.

“Other teams wanted him, but none as much as Barça; I saw absolute quality in Bisiwu; one of those wingers that Ajax, for example, used to have so often,” Rigaux told AS.

He also portrayed Bisiwu as a confident but grounded teenager who is likely to settle quickly in the dressing room. Rigaux highlighted the winger’s affectionate nature and charisma, while stressing that he remains a young player still adapting to the demands of elite football.

Yamal could provide guidance

Rigaux believes Bisiwu could benefit from a close relationship with Lamine Yamal, with the established Barcelona star potentially taking on a supportive, older-brother-like role.

“I think [Lamine Yamal] can be like a big brother to him at Barça,” Rigaux said. “They belong to that TikTok generation, and Bisiwu has that X factor; he’s a charismatic kid, and I think he can fit in well at Barça.”

Barcelona set to assess him internally

Despite speculation that Bisiwu could leave on loan, Rigaux indicated that Barcelona intends to evaluate him closely during his first season. The club is expected to monitor his development both as a footballer and as a person before making longer-term decisions.

“I think Barça wants to see how he develops this year training with them, both as an athlete and as a person,” Rigaux added. “Perhaps the second year will be the important one for making a decision.”