Barcelona and AC Milan are among clubs monitoring the progress of Hoffenheim’s defensive starlet Melayro Bogarde.
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Hoffenheim’s youth sensation Melayro Bogarde could on his way out of Sinsheim in the upcoming January transfer window. The young defender has attracted the interest of a host of top clubs across Europe, with FC Barcelona and AC Milan, in particular, keen on acquiring his services.
A former member of the Feyenoord youth academy, it appears Bogarde has an uncertain future at Hoffenheim as his contract expires at the end of the campaign. He was even linked with a move to Manchester City, although the player refused to move to England, citing a lack of opportunities and a potential loan move away from the Etihad.
It makes sense considering the progress he had made at Hoffenheim since joining the club back in 2018. His impressive performances in the German youth division initially helped him gain promotion to the senior side in the summer, with the defender even making his first-team debut during the backend of the 2019/20 campaign.
Bogarde’s appearance against 1.FSV Mainz last season made him the youngest Dutch debutant in the Bundesliga history. The 18-year-old is yet to establish himself as a first-team regular for Hoffenheim so far, but with Benjamin Hubner and Ermin Bicakcic out injured, he has gained a more prominent role in the first-team.
REVIEW YOUNG TALENT
Melayro Bogarde
Age: May 28, 2002
Citizenship: ????
International: Netherlands U18
Current club: Hoffenheim
Height: 1,84m
Position: CB/RB/DM
Foot: right
Traits: interception, pace, decision, 1vs1, strong, concentration, composure, tackleGreat talent. pic.twitter.com/K7scVLu6x9
— Review Young Talent (@RYoungTalent) November 25, 2020
So there’s very little to wonder why clubs like Barcelona and Milan have expressed an interest in signing the centre-back. Barca, in particular, are desperate for defensive reinforcements in the upcoming January transfer window. They have already made Manchester City ace Eric Garcia as their priority signing while also identifying Ezequiel Garay as a potential alternative.
However, players like Garay and Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger, another target for the Catalans, are quite experienced individuals. So in case, they do miss out on Garcia, someone like Bogarde could be a much more appropriate alternative for the Man City starlet.
The Dutchman has already shown a lot of promise at Hoffenheim and at the age of 18, he has time on his side. He can, therefore, only improve, especially in the famed La Masia academy, where Barcelona’s style of play and the tactical system could further improve the defender’s ball-playing ability and overall understanding of the game.
Unfortunately, the Catalans might face difficulty in convincing Bogarde to make the switch to Camp Nou. Although he is the nephew of former Barcelona player Winston Bogarde, the youngster might prefer regular game-time at the highest level football over a switch to a big club.
However, Barcelona could potentially work out a deal that could see Bogarde remaining at Hoffenheim till the end of the ongoing campaign, before he eventually joins the camp next season. They might face stiff competition from Milan though.
