David Oduro Leaves Barcelona for Annecy in Ligue 2

David Oduro’s Barcelona chapter is over. The Ghanaian left-back, once seen as a long-term project for the club, is heading to France.

Annecy, in Ligue 2, confirmed his arrival on Saturday, securing the 20-year-old from Barça Atletic despite his contract at Barcelona running until 2027. It closes a two-year spell in Catalonia that never fully caught fire but hinted at promise.

Oduro arrived as part of a focused recruitment drive from Africa, alongside Aziz Issah and Ibrahim Diarra. His debut season stalled almost before it started. Bureaucratic hurdles kept him on the sidelines for weeks and restricted him to just 10 appearances. When the paperwork finally cleared, the season had already slipped away.

Last year, he finally found some rhythm. Twenty-three games, a more consistent role, and a sense that he was beginning to belong. Then came the twist: instead of pushing towards the first team, he walks away and starts again in Haute-Savoie.

Left-back reset under Belletti

His departure is part of a wider reshuffle on the left side of Barça Atletic’s defence under Juliano Belletti.

Neither Oduro nor Jofre Torrents will be there when the new season kicks off, with Torrents moving to Ajax. Two young left-backs out, a new hierarchy to build.

Into that gap steps Josué Caicedo. The club moved to reinforce the position and the early signs are positive, with the Ecuadorian making a strong impression in pre-season. He looks set to compete hard for minutes.

There is also the Jordi Pesquer question. After spending time training with the first team, Barcelona must now decide his role and whether he drops back into Belletti’s plans or follows a different path.

Alex Walton remains in the squad, while Patricio Pacifico is sidelined for the foreseeable future as he recovers from an ACL injury. To keep options open, Belletti has even tested Landry Farre at left-back, searching for balance and depth.

Oduro, meanwhile, swaps the sun of Barcelona for the slopes of Annecy and a fresh fight in Ligue 2. For a 20-year-old defender still carving out his career, the next step will say a lot about whether Barcelona let a late bloomer slip away or simply moved on at the right time.