Barcelona have reportedly set their sights on Borussia Dortmund and German youth international Vasco Walz ahead of the summer transfer window.
According to a report from Spanish publication Sport, La Liga giants Barcelona have shown an interest in Borussia Dortmund’s teenage midfielder Vasco Walz.
The 16-year-old started out at the academy of Karlsruher SC before making the switch to the Borussia Dortmund youth setup in 2019. Over the past two years, Walz has made rapid strides with the Black and Yellows, becoming a regular member of the club’s Under-17 setup, making 22 appearances in which he has one goal and assist each. He also happens to be the captain of the team.
While he is of Italian descent, Walz has opted to represent Germany at the international level and has been involved with their youth teams. A defensive midfielder by trade, the 16-year-old prodigy has shown the ability to act as the conduit between the two halves and orchestrate play while also possessing good defensive nous, as per the report.
Walz’s current contract with Borussia Dortmund runs out at the end of the current campaign in June. And negotiations over a new deal are yet to take place even though the German giants see him as a player with huge potential and are intent on securing his long-term future at the club.
This has seemingly alerted Barcelona who have been monitoring the teenage midfielder. The Catalans, for years, had been known for churning out special players from their famed La Masia academy. Recent years had seen a departure from that scenario, although of late, a number of youth prospects are making their names with the first-team.
The likes of Ansu Fati, Pedri, Oscar Mingueza have all been successfully integrated into the Barcelona senior team under Ronald Koeman while Ilaix Moriba, who is already attracting interest from the likes of Manchester United, has also broken out on the senior level this term.
With young talent coming to the fore under the current manager, Barcelona are working towards further strengthening their youth ranks, which has seen them recently get linked with Uruguayan teenage prodigy Nicolas Siri, as well as Argentine prodigy Gonzalo Sosa.
Now, Dortmund’s German youth midfielder Walz has emerged as the latest youth star that the Blaugrana want to bring into the fold. The 16-year-old, if signed, would likely be joining with Barcelona’s Juvenil A side but no move has been made as of yet to secure his transfer.
It remains to be seen if the Catalans do act on their interest in Walz come summer or whether the midfielder ends up signing a new deal with Borussia Dortmund.
