NK Kustosija Zagreb spark confusion after removing official post about 18-year-old’s move to Barcelona | OneFootball

Barcelona have quietly completed the signing of Lovro Chelfi, an 18-year-old Croatian playmaker from NK Kustosija Zagreb.

The youngster is considered one of the brightest talents in his age group and had caught the eye of several major clubs, including Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund.

In the end, it was Barça who acted quickly to bring him to Catalonia.

Interestingly, NK Kustošija announced the transfer on their official Instagram page but deleted the post shortly after.

However, the message was clear that Chelfi’s move to Barcelona is complete. The club described him as a “talented attacking midfielder” who played for their first team in Croatia’s SuperSport Druga NL and confirmed he will initially join Barça’s U-21 squad.

A low-risk deal with big potential

NK Kustošija deleted the post after making it official.

The deal is reported to be worth around €300,000 for 50% of the player’s federative rights. However, the total cost could rise to €2 million depending on Chelfi’s development and future performance.

Barcelona have also secured a two-year window in which they can choose to buy the remaining 50% of the player’s rights from Kustošija.

For now, Chelfi will join Juliano Belletti’s Barça Atletic side in the Second Federation. But those at the club see real promise in the Croatian midfielder, and there is genuine belief he could make the leap to the first team if he develops well.

This signing reflects Barcelona’s continued focus on finding hidden gems in the European market. By securing Chelfi ahead of top-level competition, the club shows it still has strong scouting and quick decision-making in place when it comes to youth talent.

Time will tell whether Chelfi becomes a future star, but for now, Barça have added another exciting prospect to their growing pool of young talent.