Barcelona set to miss out on 18-year-old target as Inter Milan make move | OneFootball

According to a report from SPORT, Inter Milan have taken a decisive lead over Barcelona in the race to sign highly rated defender Leon Jakirovic. 

The Serie A side are now on the verge of completing the deal for the 18-year-old, effectively shutting the door on Barcelona’s hopes of bringing him to Catalonia.

Barcelona’s interest in Jakirovic was not accidental. It is said that sporting director Deco has continuously monitored the market, not only with an eye on reinforcing the first team, but also to strengthen Barça Atletic. 

Promotion to the First RFEF remains a clear objective, and adding defensive quality was identified as a priority. 

Jakirovic, seen as a modern centre-back with strong physical presence and composure on the ball, fit that profile perfectly.

Financial limitations for Barcelona

Once again, financial reality has intervened and despite Barcelona’s long-standing interest, the Croatian defender is now set to join Inter Milan. 

The agreement between Inter and Dinamo Zagreb, which owns the player’s rights, is already closed. 

Leon Jakirovic is set to move to Inter Milan. (Picture credit: Instagram/@LJ86)

According to reports, the deal is worth around €2.5 million as a fixed fee, with a further €2 million included in performance-based add-ons.

Inter’s move stands out not only because they beat Barcelona to the signing, but also because they moved faster than RB Salzburg.

At Barcelona, both the first team and the reserve side remain heavily restricted by Financial Fair Play regulations. 

Barça Atletic, in particular, are unable to register new signings unless they first reduce their wage bill. 

That limitation has left the club unable to act decisively, even when clear targets have been identified and scouted extensively.

Jakirovic himself was keen on a move. In fact, the young centre-back has grown frustrated at Dinamo Zagreb after failing to make his debut this season, despite being assured a more prominent role. 

His desire to leave immediately accelerated negotiations with clubs capable of acting quickly, something Barcelona simply could not do.