Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are reportedly set to go head-to-head in the race to sign 17-year-old Spanish prodigy Alberto Moleiro.
According to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are not the only club keen on signing Alberto Moleiro. Atletico Madrid are also interested in landing the 17-year-old prodigy from UD Las Palmas, who are looking to recoup €30 million in exchange for his services.
Alberto Moleiro is one of the brightest prospects in Spain at the moment, having broken into the UD Las Palmas first-team setup at the onset of the ongoing season. Aged just 17, the Spanish prodigy is also a part of the country’s under-19 side, with his stock rising with every passing game.
The 17-year-old has already made 15 appearances across all competitions for Las Palmas this term, raking in one goal and one assist in the process, which again points towards the bundles of talent he possesses. Moleiro’s progress has not gone unnoticed either, with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid being his prospective suitors.
The interest from Barcelona is understandable, considering they are always on the lookout for the most promising young players in Spain, Europe and across the world. Such an outlook has fetched them current first-team stars like Sergino Dest, Ronald Araujo and Pedri, who coincidentally joined Barcelona from UD Las Palmas.
Most recently, Barcelona reached an agreement to sign Turkish prodigy Emre Demir, and Moleiro is the kind of player who could slot in the first-team setup straight away, much like Pedri. On the other hand, Atletico Madrid could do with an injection of youth in their first-team squad, particularly in midfield.
While Los Rojiblancos signed Rodrigo De Paul in the summer, doubts are surrounding the futures of Saul Niguez and Hector Herrera. At the same time, Marcos Llorente has experienced a drop in levels this season. So, it is understandable why Atletico Madrid might be interested in Moleiro.
However, signing the 17-year-old will cost €30 million, with his release clause set to be tripled at the turn of the year. Amid such a development, it remains to be seen if the change in his valuation forces Barcelona and Atletico Madrid to end their interest or if they are still keen on prising him away from UD Las Palmas.