Barcelona have made a clear and concerted effort over the past 12 months to look at signing younger talents before they exit their budget on the open market. Yet even with the signings of Mikayil Faye, Vitor Roque and Noah Darvich, they have still missed out on the likes of Claudio Echeverri, and are on the outside looking in at Estevao Willian. As such, they are set to take their transfer strategy to the next stage.
When Sporting Director Deco arrived, it was reported that he had asked their scouts to find younger talents before they had gained a reputation, and thus before their price tag had risen as much. Now Sport say that Barcelona will send a scout to the Juniors Cup in Sao Paulo, as they try to identify talent before they make their professional debuts. They are attempting to build their information of the Brazilian market on the whole.
Undoubtedly, this will allow Barcelona quicker access to teenagers likely already with agents, and therefore begin the process of convincing them that Catalonia is the best place to take their talents. Equally, the risk will rise considerably too. It is impossible to tell what a 15-year-old will look like in terms of talent, mentality and physique at that age, or how their development will go, except in punctual instances. Barcelona will also be unable to sign them before the age of 18 too, due to FIFA laws, meaning they be signing players two or three years in advance.
