Palmeiras forward Endrick Felipe might be the most wanted teenager in football currently, with many touting the 16-year-old for big things in European football.
He cannot legally leave Brazil until he is 18, in 2024, but it is thought that the race to secure his signature is currently being run behind the scenes.
Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez surprised many when he publicly spoke of Endrick, confirming that he had been in talks with the Brazilian, and wanted him to join the club.
This was surprising not least because Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid have all been linked extensively with Endrick of late, but not Barcelona.
Sport have now revealed the details of that meeting. It took place in February of this year, while Endrick was on holiday in Europe. He had visited Disneyland Paris with his family, before watching Real Madrid-PSG at the Parc des Princes. Following that, he would attend Barcelona-Napoli at Camp Nou.
The following day, Barcelona invited him for a private tour of the facilities, during which he met Xavi, who was preparing Barcelona’s next match against Valencia. To Endrick’s surprise, Xavi had a lengthy conversation with him about Barcelona’s ideas and how they wanted to progress. Endrick would later attend Real Madrid-Alaves that weekend.
If Barcelona were to pursue Endrick, they may well have to rely on convincing the Brazilian that it is the best place to develop his football. Financially, it seems they improbable that they could compete with the other offers that will be made to him. The good news for Culers is that Endrick’s father has previously declared they will pick the best footballing project.