Manchester City have reportedly beaten Manchester United to sign highly rated Barcelona youth player Juan Larios in January.
The 15-year-old is a star for the Blaugrana’s Juvenile B team and is ‘very close’ to joining the English champions in a deal next month, according to a recent Diario Sport report.
The Catalan club have made an attempt to renew his contract on improved terms but the player appears to have his heart set on a move to Manchester.
Now a report in the Daily Record claims City have beaten their Manchester rivals to the ‘next Jordi Alba’ and are likely to pay a compensation package around €400k.
Larios is naturally a left-back and has been regarded as a rising star in Spanish football for many years, with Barca themselves fighting off competition from multiple clubs – including Real Madrid – to incorporate him into their youth system.
Larios celebrates his 16th birthday on 12 January and this will allow him to then join another club on professional terms thereafter.
The full-back will join former Barca youth graduates Eric García (who debuted in the Champions League this week) and Adrià Bernabé at City.
Image via Diario Sport
