Getty Barcelona are set to land Bayern teen Kenan Yildiz.
Barcelona are building an exciting young team under new coach Xavi Hernandez at the Camp Nou and look set to bring another highly-rated teenager to the club for next season.
Bayern Munich’s 16-year-old midfielder Kenan Yildiz is “on the verge” of signing for the Catalan giants and negotiations are at the “final stages,” according to reporter Florian Plettenberg.
Yildiz shares an agent with Barcelona stars Ferran Torres and Pedri which should help negotiations. Sky Sport Germany’s Marc Behrenbeck adds that Bayern “absolutely want” to keep Yildiz but the teenager must now decide whether to stay or to head to Spain.
Yildiz is an attacking midfielder who has played for Bayern’s Under-17 and Under-19 teams this season. The 16-year-old has made 14 appearances, scoring six goals and contributing eight assists. Bundesliga reporter Juanma Romero has described Yildiz as “pure talent.”
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Yildiz To Join Barcelona B?
If Yildiz does arrive at Barcelona then he will likely join up with the reserve team in the first instance. However, the midfielder will know there is already a clear path from Barca B to the first team.
Young midfielders Gavi and Nico Gonzalez have made the step up from Barca B this season and played regularly for the senior side. Nico has already been officially promoted, while 16-year-old Gavi is next in line.
Yildiz will also link up with some other very talented youngsters at Barca B. Fabio Blanco, who moved to Barcelona from Eintracht Frankfurt in January, has already caught the eye with Sergi Barjuan’s side.
Blanco has three goals in his last two games and Barca “are confident” that he “will be an option for the future” for Xavi, as reported by Marca.
Barcelona have also confirmed the signing of 18-year-old Pablo Torre from Racing Santander this season. The midfielder has signed a contract that runs until 2026, with a termination clause set at €100 million.
Barcelona ‘Building a New Era’
Barcelona’s future certainly looks to be bright given the amount of young talent at the club. Youngsters Ronald Araujo, Eric Garcia, Ferran Torres, and Sergino Dest are already regulars at the club, while 19-year-old Ansu Fati is back in training after his latest injury lay-off.
President Joan Laporta has spoken about the current situation at the Camp Nou and feels it’s obvious that a new era is being built at Barcelona, as reported by the club’s official website.
“Xavi is responding in style to the opportunity given to him by the club. I am sure he will bring us happiness for years to come. Xavi has changed the team’s mentality. We can see that there is a future and in the present he can give us joy in the Europa League and why not in the league, it’s difficult but we are fighting,” he said. “We are building a new era that I hope will be splendid. We are doing it with young players, home grown, who are here now but have an even better future. That’s the ambition, to have a group who play well and win trophies. The culers, we have hope.”
Barcelona certainly look to have a bright future ahead under Xavi, and the arrival of more promising young talent will only add to the growing sense of optimism around the club.
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