FC Barcelona have reportedly managed to sign up talented Valencia prospect Mariano Konyk with the player expected to join the Blaugrana as soon as the transfer window opens.
With his contract up in June, Valencia youngster Mariano Konyk has seemingly sealed a move to FC Barcelona with the Catalans reportedly locking down on the 19-year-old following his impressive performances with Valencia in the domestic circuit and notably the UEFA Youth League last term.
According to Marca, Barcelona have reached an agreement with the player and are expected to have him at La Masia as soon as the transfer window opens.
Valencia couldn’t prevent the La Liga leaders from contacting the youngster as the player’s contract is up in June. A centre-back by trade, Konyk was the only defender that played all of Valencia’s 8 games in the UEFA Youth League and was a key player in their progress up to the round of 16 where they were sent packing by Chelsea.
A key member of the back-line, the Argentine ensured his side accrued three clean sheets on their way to the knock-outs. The Blaugrana have reportedly been following the progress of the youngster over the course of the competition last year and his domestic season this time around before digging in to make his signature happen.
Konyk is born Argentine and is Ukrainian by ethnicity and is eligible to feature for both nationalities. Although he’s yet to receive a call-up from either, it may well change after his high-profile move to the Catalans this summer.
There hasn’t been any official comment on the impending move though but confirmation regarding the same is expected soon from both parties.
AS:
Valencia’s youth centre-back, Mariano Konyk (18), will join Barcelona B in the summer on a free transfer. pic.twitter.com/sEd0dU5vLl— M·A·J (@UltraAutistic) May 10, 2017
The interest in youngsters like Konyk shows Barcelona desire to create a promising pool of players in the future who’ll be capable of taking over from the likes of Gerard Pique, Javier Mascherano and Jeremy Mathieu, all of whom are fast approaching the latter halves of their footballing careers.
Barring Samuel Umtiti, none of the Blaugrana’s defensive reinforcements in the past half-a-decade have managed to stamp their influence on the side and account for the departure of players of the likes of Carles Puyol and Dani Alves. It wouldn’t be far off to state that the Catalans still gravely miss the latter.
Even at their best, Barcelona have shown a distinct lack of stability at the back and are clearly looking to invest in a quality centre-back in the upcoming transfer window to change that. Juventus’ Leonardo Bonucci and Ajax’s Davinson Sanchez are few among the many potential ‘suitors’ Barcelona are assessing to take the mantle at centre-back.
While Konyk most certainly isn’t going to be mentioned in the same breath as the aforementioned names for a while now, he will be expected to grow with the academy and break his way into the first-team fold sometime in the future.
