Barcelona on the verge of tying up deal for 16-year-old Portuguese talent | OneFootball

Barcelona Sporting Director Deco has continued his pursuit of the next up-and-coming teenage talents, hosting Portuguese winger Cardoso Varela on Monday.

The 16-year-old is currently without a club, and Deco met with his agents and the player at the Ciutat Esportiva on Monday. Discussions were held on a potential deal, and Varela was then shown around their facilities – Sport say that they are one step away from a deal.

Varela’s route is a curious one. Previously one of the most coveted talents in Europe, Varela has 22 caps for Portugal’s under-17s, but after a transfer from Porto to fourth-tier Croatian side Dinamo Odranski Obrez was blocked by FIFA, he became a free agent.

Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid have reportedly shown interest in the past, while the move to Croatia was intended to be a bridge before a move to the Bundesliga. His agent is Andy Bara, who also represents Dani Olmo and Mikayil Faye, with his lawyers at the time allegedly demanding €3m from Porto for Varela to remain at the club before the attempted move.