Barcelona are reportedly interested in securing the services of Brazilian prodigy Breno Melo from Gremio and have held talks with his representative.
According to Globo Esporte, Barcelona have set their sights on 16-year-old Brazilian prospect Breno Melo, who is raising eyebrows with his performances for Gremio.
Breno Melo is making people sit up and take notice of his talent and potential with his displays for the Under-17 team, for whom he dons the No. 10 jersey. A versatile forward who can play on the flanks or as an attacking midfielder, the 16-year-old has stood out due to his speed, dribbling and close control.
Breno Melo is widely regarded as one of the most exciting young prospects bursting onto the Brazilian football scene. And he has seemingly caught the attention of Barcelona, who have been known for picking up young talents with potential from the South American nation in the past.
Over the years, the Blaugrana have brought in the likes of Neymar, Keirrison, Matheus Fernandes and Arthur Melo, among others. While not all of them have been a success, Barcelona continue to monitor the region for the next big prospect and have recently agreed on first-option deals on young duo Kaiky and Angelo, while they are also very interested in Sao Paulo’s Endrick.
?️[ @geglobo?] | Joan Laporta & Deco met with the agent of Gremio midfielder Breno Melo(16), who has a release clause of 40 million euros and a contract until 2024. Both the parties watched the Atléti-Barça game later. #fcblive pic.twitter.com/fwqnOuv306
— BarçaTimes (@BarcaTimes) February 9, 2022
Now, they have set their sights on a move for Breno Melo, with president Joan Laporta meeting with the 16-year-old prospect’s agent, Fernando Matos, last week. It is claimed that the club showed his representative the club’s training facilities and explained their plans for the youngster in the future. Matos was also in attendance for Barcelona’s 4-2 win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
Breno Melo signed a new contract with Gremio last year, extending his stay at the club till 2024. The Brazilian giants inserted a release clause worth €40 million into his new deal as part of the agreement. Clubs interested in signing the teenage starlet would have to trigger that clause.
Barcelona have a good relationship with Gremio, having negotiated a deal to sign Arthur in the past and may convince them to lower their asking price. Even if an agreement is struck, Breno Melo will arrive in Catalonia only after he turns 18 years old. But the Blaugrana are seemingly intent on wrapping up the deal at the earliest as they continue to bolster their youth ranks with an eye on the future.
