Russian prodigy Arsen Zakharyan has reportedly has his heart set on joining Barcelona and is ready to reject Real Madrid to move to Camp Nou.

According to a report from Catalan publication El Nacional, 18-year-old Russian wonderkid Arsen Zakharyan wants to join La Liga heavyweights Barcelona and is prepared to snub interest from their rivals Real Madrid to do so.

Zakharyan is widely regarded as the most exciting young prospect coming through the ranks in Russia. Having joined the Dynamo Moscow youth setup in 2017, the midfielder has enjoyed a rapid progression to the first team. He made his senior bow in November last year, aged 17, and went on to feature sporadically over the rest of the 2020/21 season.

Zakharyan has become a regular in the side in the ongoing campaign, though, and has made a solid impression, amassing a return of four goals and seven assists from 17 matches in all competitions. The teenage prodigy even broke into the Russian national team in September earlier this year and has featured four times so far.

Zakharyan’s progress with Dynamo Moscow has caught the attention of several top clubs across Europe, including Barcelona. The Catalans had been linked with a move for the 18-year-old earlier this season. Recent reports had indicated that the teenage sensation himself wants to move to Camp Nou should an opportunity present itself.

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Now, though, Real Madrid have also made their presence felt in the race to sign Zakharyan. The report claims that the Merengues president, Florentino Perez, is keen on building stars for the future, and a gifted talent like the 18-year-old Russian midfielder would be a good addition to the ranks.

However, the Spanish capital club are set to face disappointment in their pursuit of the Dynamo Moscow midfielder. As per the report mentioned above, Zakharyan has his heart firmly set on a move to Barcelona and is prepared to wait for the Catalan giants to come calling, rather than signing for Real Madrid.

Valued at €12 million, Zakharyan’s contract with Dynamo Moscow runs until 2024. Barcelona, of late, have shown a penchant for picking up talented youngsters from across Europe, having signed the likes of Yusuf Demir and Emre Demir. Whether Zakharyan becomes the next addition to the list remains to be seen.

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