Barcelona closing in on the capture of 19-year-old South American left-back | OneFootball

Barcelona’s strategy over the years has emphasised identifying talented young players and supporting them to hone their skills for an eventual first-team promotion.

It is, thus, not surprising how young Barcelona’s current core is and simply how dependent the team are on their academy.

After all, the likes of Lamine Yamal, Alejandro Balde, Gavi, Fermin Lopez, Pau Cubarsi, and Gerard Martin are all homegrown stars, with even others like Pedri and Ronald Araujo arriving as young prospects.

A new target

As relayed by Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari in a recent update, Barcelona are going berserk in their pursuit of young talents across the globe. The latest development sees them linked to a highly rated prospect in Uruguay.

Is this Deco’s latest masterstroke? (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

The player in question is Patricio Pacifico, a young left-back who currently plays for Defensor Sporting in the South American nation. Born in 2006, he is currently just 19 years of age and is a regular in the Montevideo-based club’s dynamics.

The journalist further states that Barcelona are not only interested but close to sealing his signing. Deals are currently in the works, but all signs point to the deal moving towards completion.

So far this season, Pacifico has made 23 starts and 24 appearances for his club in the league and has scored two goals in that duration. He averages over ten ball recoveries per game and completes close to 80% of his passes.

His signing, in all likelihood, is for Barça Atletic especially given how Barcelona recently brought in Joao Cancelo as a backup in the same position. Needless to say, however, he is a prospect who can break into the first team over time.