Barcelona’s recruitment strategy continues to evolve as the club looks beyond immediate reinforcements to secure its long-term future.
With the January window on the horizon, sporting director Deco and his team have been intensifying scouting operations across Europe.
The Blaugrana are carefully balancing financial caution with their need to inject fresh, youthful energy into Hansi Flick’s side.
As part of the ongoing rebuild, identifying emerging stars who fit Barcelona’s philosophy has become a major priority.
And now, it appears the club has moved quietly but decisively to land one of Europe’s brightest young attackers.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have reached an agreement to sign 17-year-old winger Cardoso Varela from Dinamo Zagreb.
The Portuguese sensation has been turning heads in Croatia, and Barca are said to have secured his future for a total package worth €5 million fixed, plus an additional €20 million in variables.
Cardoso Varela is regarded as one of the most exciting young prospects in European football, with his combination of pace, technical skill, and confidence on the ball drawing comparisons to some of the continent’s elite wingers.
He is currently under contract with Dinamo Zagreb until 2028, meaning Barcelona will need to be patient before finalising his arrival.
Despite the Croatian club’s desire to keep him for at least two more seasons, insiders believe a move to Catalonia is only a matter of time if his rapid rise continues.
Barca have been in constant communication with Varela’s agent, Andy Bara, who also represents several top-level talents across Europe.
Deco himself has taken a personal interest in the player’s development and even travelled to Croatia last month to watch Dinamo Zagreb’s Europa League clash with Fenerbahce, where he observed the youngster in action.
Varela’s potential was further underlined when he scored just five minutes after coming on against Malmo in the Europa League, a moment that only strengthened Barcelona’s resolve to pursue him.
However, there remains an intriguing twist in the story.
While Varela is eager to make the switch to Spain, Barcelona are also monitoring Marcus Rashford’s situation closely as the Manchester United forward enjoys a strong loan spell.
The club are evaluating both players before deciding when to activate their move for Varela.
Even so, all signs point to Barcelona having laid the foundation for a future star’s arrival, and the Catalan giants appear convinced that Cardoso Varela is a name destined for Camp Nou glory.
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