Barcelona leading Atletico Madrid in the race to sign 19-year-old Spanish defender | OneFootball

As reported by SPORT, Barcelona are making progress in their efforts to sign highly-rated young defender Jorge Salinas from Racing Santander.

The 19-year-old left-back has emerged as one of the standout performers in Spain’s second division and is viewed by the club as a long-term solution on the left side of defence.

Negotiations are moving forward and an agreement could potentially arrive before the end of June.

Barcelona ahead of Atletico Madrid

Salinas, a product of the academy at Racing Santander, enjoyed an impressive campaign in 2025/26 that attracted attention from several top clubs.

The defender featured in 33 league matches, starting 30 of them, and contributed seven assists, helping the club earn promotion to La Liga.

His attacking instincts, ability to progress the ball and versatility, including the capacity to play as a centre-back, have made him one of the most sought-after young defenders in Spanish football.

Barcelona leading the race for Salinas. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Although Atletico Madrid have also monitored his development, Barcelona currently appear to be leading the race for his signature.

Negotiations instead of release clause payment

Rather than triggering Salinas’ full release clause, Barcelona are attempting to reach a direct agreement with Racing Santander.

The newly-promoted La Liga club value the player at around €16 million, although discussions continue regarding contractual details and the exact financial structure of any deal.

Both clubs are exploring solutions that would allow the transfer to be completed while avoiding the need for Barcelona to pay the full clause immediately.

Loan return remains a possibility

One of the options being considered would see Salinas sign for Barcelona before returning to Racing on loan for the 2026/27 season.

Such an arrangement would allow the youngster to continue playing regularly in a familiar environment while gaining further experience before making the jump to Camp Nou.

Barcelona sporting department rate Salinas highly. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

This scenario could also influence the final transfer fee and the distribution of salary costs between the two clubs.

Barcelona are also evaluating the possibility of including a young academy player in the operation to help facilitate negotiations.

Another formula under consideration involves a lower initial fee combined with performance-related bonuses and a percentage of any future sale, a structure similar to deals the club has used in previous transfers.

Negotiations are ongoing, but the operation is advancing positively. With several details still to be resolved, Barcelona remain optimistic that an agreement for Salinas can be finalised in the coming weeks.