Barcelona teenage star Pedri has been creating headlines this season for his comfortable integration into the starting XI at the Camp Nou, aged just 17.
The 17-year-old joined the Blaugrana in an initial €5m transfer from Las Palmas this summer and is widely regarded as one of the best youth products in Spanish football.
The teenage star – whose full name is Pedro González López – starred for Las Palmas last campaign and netted four goals for Pepe Mel’s side, alongside providing six assists.
As highlighted by a report in Marca last month, the teenager had to take a taxi home from the Camp Nou after scoring in his Champions League debut against Ferencvaros – one of his two goals in 10 appearances in the first-team for the Blaugrana.
A month younger than Barcelona teenage forward Ansu Fati, he has risen through the ranks of the Spanish youth teams and now is rated among the best teenagers in European football.
A report in Marca now details how his former youth coach Rubén Delgado and sporting director Toni Otero have raved about the player’s development and what has made him tick.
Delgado is quoted as saying:” Beyond his football qualities, his maturity as a person stood out. The respect and treatment he always gave to his rivals, his teammates and coaches was different from that of others.”
Otero added: “If he maintained that level from his training, he would be the level of (Andres) Iniesta. Las Palmas was not going through a good time economically speaking and I spoke with him about Barcelona coming to and see him.
“We played a friendly against Almeria and he was incredible. He played with confidence and incredible calm. The reports were very good and the next game, against Betis, (a Barcelona delegation of) Bakero and Ramón Planes showed up to see him. At that moment the negotiations began for the signing of Pedri for Barcelona and they signed him before he had made his debut with the first team.”
His a very good guy