Barcelona prospect Diego Almeida has reportedly emerged as a transfer target for French heavyweights PSG, who are planning to lure him with a lucrative contract.
According to a report from SPORT, Paris Saint-Germain are monitoring the progress of Barcelona youngster Diego Almeida with the aim of luring him to Parc des Princes with an improved contract offer.
Almeida joined Barcelona’s La Masia youth setup from FCB Escola and has enjoyed a steady rise through the ranks. The 17-year-old is widely regarded as one of the best defensive prospects coming through in Spain. Almeida currently plays for Barcelona’s Juvenil A outfit (Under-19s).
The young defender has also represented the Spanish national team across various age-group levels from Under-15s to Under-18s. His progress in youth football has caught the eye of PSG, who are now plotting to swoop him away from Catalonia by offering him a better contract than what he is currently on at Barcelona.
Les Parisiens have a history of raiding Barcelona for youth talent, having recruited Kays Ruiz-Atil and Xavi Simons from the Catalan giants’ academy in the past. Although, it must be noted that among the duo, Ruiz-Atil is back at Barcelona, signing for the club’s B team this past summer on a free transfer, while Simons is also angling for a return to Camp Nou when his contract runs out next summer.
Nonetheless, PSG are ready to press ahead in their pursuit of Almeida as they look to bolster their youth ranks and develop the 17-year-old centre-back into a first-team star for the future.
The Spanish youth international is contracted with Barcelona until the summer of 2023, after signing a three-year deal in 2020. Almeida is yet to make his debut for the Blaugrana’s B team but was called up for first-team training earlier this month, soon after the appointment of club legend Xavi Hernandez as the manager.
Apart from PSG, the young defender is attracting interest from several other clubs in Italy and France. However, the 17-year-old, for his part, is keen on staying put at Barcelona and continuing his development. So, it will be interesting to see if the Parisian giants or any other club can change his stance with a more lucrative contract.
