Barcelona have been working on World Cup defender deal since April | OneFootball

Barcelona are no looking to sign a world class central defender this summer, but they are still preparing to address the position when the transfer window opens. Rather than targeting an established name, sporting director Deco has been working towards the possibility of adding one or two talented youngsters into the mix – and one of those on his radar is currently in North America for the 2026 World Cup.

At 18, Lucas Herrington is considered to be one of the best young defenders in the MLS, where he plays for Colorado Rapids. Furthermore, he’s already featured four times for Australia, whose World Cup squad he is currently a part of – and both of these instances have led Barcelona to take a keen interest in securing his services.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Barcelona had sent an opening offer to Colorado Rapids, albeit it was turned down. Nevertheless, talks remain ongoing, and according to Sport, the Catalans’ interest in the teenage defender has been present since April, when they met with his representatives to make their plans for a summer pursuit clear.

Herrington likely to cost in region of €20m

Photo by Luiza Moraes/Getty Images

The Catalan daily state that Barcelona’s offer for Herrington was valued at €10m, but this was not enough for Colorado Rapids, who value him closer to €20m. Given that an eight-figure proposal was sent in the first place shows how highly the Australia international is regarded within the offices of Can Barca, and it’s clear that he would be involved in the first team if he were to be brought to the Spotify Camp Nou this summer.

It will be very interesting to see whether Barcelona can close a deal for Herrington. If he manages to kick on and keep getting better and better in the coming years, €20m could end up being a bargain price.