La Liga club plotting summer move for 17-year-old Barcelona academy prospect – report | OneFootball

One of Barcelona’s most exciting academy talents is beginning to attract attention beyond Camp Nou.

According to SPORT, Deportivo Alaves are closely monitoring Toni Fernandez and are considering a summer move for the highly-rated youngster as they look to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season.

At just 17 years old, Fernandez is regarded as one of the standout prospects emerging from La Masia. 

The attacking midfielder has built a reputation for his creativity, technical quality and ability to influence matches in the final third, making him one of the most promising young players in Barcelona’s system.

The outlet mentions that while no formal negotiations have been reported at this stage, the growing interest from Alaves shows just how highly the teenager is valued across Spanish football.

Fernandez continues to impress

Alaves are interested in Toni Fernandez. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Fernandez’s development has not gone unnoticed within Barcelona’s first-team setup.

The youngster has already had opportunities to work under Hansi Flick and participated in pre-season activities with the senior squad last summer. 

His progress has left a positive impression on the German coach, who is expected to take another close look at the midfielder during this summer’s training camp.

That opportunity could prove crucial because with several academy players hoping to break into Flick’s long-term plans, another pre-season will offer Fernandez a strong chance to show that he is ready for the next step in his development.

The teenager has already experienced life around the first team, having made his official senior debut in the Copa del Rey clash against Barbastro.

Alaves keeping an eye

Toni Fernandez has trained under Hansi Flick. (Photo by Judit Cartiel/Getty Images)

Notably, while Fernandez has developed away from the first team, interest from Alaves comes as little surprise given the club’s recent recruitment strategy.

The La Liga side have increasingly focused on identifying young Spanish talents with significant development potential, and Fernandez appears to fit that profile perfectly.

According to information cited by Angel Garcia, the Barcelona academy graduate is among the names being evaluated by Alaves, with the club viewing him as a player capable of adding creativity and long-term value.

At present, there is no indication that talks have advanced beyond initial interest, but Alaves, just like Sevilla, are keeping an eye and might opt to move after observing him in the pre-season.