FC Barcelona has decided against pursuing a €15 million-rated young midfielder, prioritizing their youth academy prospects.
The scouting team (led by sporting director Deco) studied the player intensively, but did not feel that his €15 million price tag currently aligned with their objectives.
In doing so, the club indicated clearly that their players are now their first priority, and they prefer to grow their young players rather than invest so heavily in one who is further away.
The Catalan club is dealing with financial difficulties and a midfield that is already very competitive, which, naturally, makes their recruitment more selective.
The player in question, Ze Lucas, is a striker from Sport Recife and a Brazilian U-17 national team player, as reported by Diario Sport.
Notably, Ze Lucas is only 17 years old, hence all the attention from clubs across Europe. Ze Lucas is best known for playing senior football in a competitive Brazilian Serie A campaign and captaining his U-17 national team.
Barcelona attempted to scout him during his U-17 South American Championship, after he had been scouted by clubs including Wolves, with a rejected €12.5 million transfer fee.
Manager Hansi Flick and the club would also mention that their players and academy (La Masia) form part of their long-term plan.
Deco spoke directly to Sport Recife, but ultimately, the experience was worthwhile, although the financial outlay could not fully compensate for the experience and development of the promising U-17 striker.
Barcelona is focused on developing players like Pedri and Pau Cubarsi, who have already established themselves as quality players.
This is in line with the bigger trend of proper fiscal responsibility, as the team puts ambition behind sustainability.
While Ze Lucas is a good player with a lot of potential for a good future ahead, the fact that Barcelona is not pursuing him is a sign that they are content with what they already have and that they are not willing to take risks on unproven players in an already-challenging European environment.
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