Barcelona Snap Up Brazilian Wonderkid from Sao Paulo

Sao Paulo

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Barcelona have completed the signing of 19-year-old forward Gustavo Maia from Brazilian side São Paulo.

The Catalan giants have paid a total of €4.5 million ($4.9 million) for the teenager, according to ESPN Brasil’s Eduardo Affonso. Barca will hold 70 percent of the youngster’s rights, while Sao Paulo will receive 30 percent of any future sale.

Sao Paulo’s executive manager, Alexandre Pássaro, confirmed in March that Barcelona had already spent €1m on a purchase option for the youngster, and they have now moved to complete the deal.

Sport’s Albert Roge reported that Maia has confirmed his move to Barcelona on Instagram and added that the youngster is expected to join up with Francisco Javier García Pimienta’s Barcelona B team initially.

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Maia ‘Always Wanted Barcelona’

The player’s agent, Danilo Silva, spoke about Maia and Barcelona last month to Radio Transamerica and made it clear that the forward’s priority was to join the Catalan giants.

“We are sure Barcelona will complete the purchase. There was already a signal from the club and [on Monday] Maia started private Spanish lessons to get more prepared.

“Other clubs came to us in the last few months but he never had any doubt, he always wanted Barcelona.”

Maia is a talented left-winger who caught the eye after impressing in the famous Copinha tournament, a competition played in Brazil in which over 100 Under-20 teams participate.

Barcelona Add Another Promising Youngster

It’s no secret that Barcelona have an aging squad with the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, Arturo Vidal, Ivan Rakitic, Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba all the wrong side of 30.

However, Maia is the latest exciting youngster to head to the Camp Nou. Barcelona have already announced this season that Braga’s 20-year-old talented forward Francisco Trincao will arrive in the summer as well as Las Palmas starlet Pedri.

Barcelona have also seen Riqui Puig and Ansu Fati break into the first team in 2019-20, while fellow B teamers Alex Collado, Ronald Araujo, and Monchi have also had first-team call-ups.

Maia will be hoping to impress enough with the Barca B team to catch first-team coach Quique Setien’s eye. Barca B have had a strong season and could be promoted if they are successful in the Segunda Division playoffs this month.

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