The calm that usually prevails at Ciutat Esportiva during the summer months has been interrupted by a visit that has sparked excitement in the halls of FC Barcelona. While players and coaching staff are on vacation, the sporting management is still working hard to strengthen Hansi Flick's project as he heads into his second season at the club.
This Thursday, the spotlight wasn't on the field, but on the offices. At eleven in the morning, a man with an imposing presence walked through the club building's doors. It was Andy Bara, a highly influential agent in European soccer, representing players such as Dani Olmo, Joan Garcia, and the main figure in this story.
The meeting, which was kept under the strictest confidentiality, had a single objective: to move forward with a deal that could become one of the club's strategic signings of the summer. After the meeting at Ciutat Esportiva, Bara and Deco, the club's sporting director, shared a discreet but key lunch to bring their positions closer together.
a meticulously planned signing
What seemed like an early negotiation has actually been in the works for months behind the scenes. According to SPORT, the player in question had already been in Barcelona in December on a secret visit, organized away from the spotlight. Accompanied by his agent, he toured the club's facilities and heard directly from Deco what his possible role in the team's future would be.
That trip, which seemed anecdotal, was actually the starting point of a medium-term operation. Barça's plan is to sign him this summer, but leave him on loan for a year at his current club so he can continue developing and arrive in Barcelona more mature and ready to compete at the highest level.
a profile that fits perfectly
The club's sporting department is enthusiastic about the reports they've received on the player. He is a fast winger, with dribbling skills, able to play on both flanks, and with great tactical awareness despite his youth. Trained in Porto's academy and already experienced in European competitions, he has attracted the interest of major clubs across the continent, but Barça is ahead.
Moreover, his price is accessible compared to other market targets: about €5 million ($5.4 million) fixed and a series of variables that could bring the deal up to €20 million ($21.7 million). This is an affordable figure for a club that, despite its financial situation, is still betting on emerging talent with potential for revaluation.
his camp sees the deal getting closer
Sources close to the negotiation are optimistic. They say that, if there are no setbacks, the agreement could be finalized within weeks. However, the club prefers to act with caution and not consider anything closed until it's signed. The player himself has shown interest in joining Barça, aware of the impact that playing for the club could have on his professional career.
Meanwhile, Deco has personally led the operation, convinced that this is an ideal profile to strengthen Flick's squad. The intention is clear: secure young talent before his price skyrockets and other major clubs get involved.
the name that excites Barcelona fans
For weeks, there has been speculation about several possible signings, but today, after this new move in the club's offices, the name gaining momentum in every sense is the Portuguese Cardoso Varela, the young gem from Dinamo Zagreb. Barça is already moving to make him one of the standout names of this transfer window.