Braga striker Abel Ruiz coming close to La Liga return | OneFootball

It has been five years since Spanish striker Abel Ruiz left his position amongst the Barcelona reserves in favour of regular football in Portugal, but rumours are coming to the fore that the 24-year-old could return to his home country.

That is according to Marca anyway, who are reporting that Braga are coming close to an agreement with Girona over a transfer.

The striker has played 189 games across his five seasons in Portugal, scoring 38 goals and contributing with 18 assists.

Reports suggest that the deal would consist of a fee of around €8 million plus the exchange of a Girona player in the other direction.

Ruiz played a key role in last year’s U21 European Championships with Spain, where he finished the tournament as joint top-scorer as Spain finished runners-up.

He is also in the preliminary Spanish squad set to head to Paris this summer to play in the football tournament at the Olympic Games.

His Braga contract is due to expire in 2025, meaning that Ruiz must make a decision soon on whether to renew and continue playing in Portugal, or try his luck with a return to Spain.

GSFN | Ciaran Currie