Barça continues to bet on La Masia as the central pillar of the project, but also keeps an eye on young talents from abroad. With a limited financial situation and no possibility of competing for major stars worth 100 million euros, the club has to opt for that.
This strategy not only responds to the financial need, but also to a club philosophy that seeks to train and develop players with Barça DNA. In that sense, Deco and his team are working to close smart deals, with young footballers who have potential. One of those moves could be finalized very soon with a talent who's already generating excitement in the culé environment.
Cardoso Varela, a signing for the future
According to reports from Croatia, Barça would have practically closed the signing of Cardoso Varela, one of the gems of Portuguese soccer. The winger, who plays for Dinamo Zagreb, could arrive for a figure close to 5 million euros. That's a very affordable price for a player who's only 16 years old, but who's already caught the attention of several major clubs on the continent.
Barça would have moved quickly to get ahead of the competition, convinced that this is a market opportunity. The deal would fit perfectly with the transfer policy Deco is promoting of young talents with international projection, contained cost, and room for improvement. If everything is finalized, Varela would initially join the youth teams, but with an eye on the first team.
An explosive winger with international projection
Cardoso Varela plays as a left winger and stands out for his dribbling ability, boldness, and directness. At just 16 years old, he's established himself as one of the great promises of Portuguese soccer and at Dinamo Zagreb he's already begun to leave his mark.
In Portugal, they consider him a diamond in the rough. His decision to leave Porto at a young age to try his luck in a different league was surprising, but it seems to be paying off. Varela has grown competitively, has matured, and has gained international experience that he could now take advantage of in his move to Barça's academy.
A path similar to Dani Olmo's
What stands out most at Barça is the similarity of his career to Dani Olmo's. The Spanish international also left La Masia to sign for Dinamo, where he grew as a player until he ended up signing for RB Leipzig and then for Barça itself. In Varela's case, the path is the opposite: he left Porto, one of Portugal's giants, to develop in Croatia.
That profile of a brave young man, who seeks to grow outside his comfort zone, fits with the values Barça wants to recover.