Barcelona are reportedly in talks with Aston Villa as they explore the possibility of a deal for 18-year-old midfield prospect Carney Chukwuemeka.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have entered into negotiations with Premier League club Aston Villa over the possibility of signing teenage prodigy Carney Chukwuemeka.
The 18-year-old Aston Villa academy product has entered the final year of his contract and has not signed the proposal tabled by the club. It has forced manager Steven Gerrard to leave Chukwuemeka out of the pre-season tour, with the youngster continuing to train at Bodymoor Heath.
Chukwuemeka’s contract situation has alerted several clubs across Europe, with Barcelona and Manchester United among teams to show a strong interest. And as per the report, Barcelona have already started negotiating with Aston Villa over a possible transfer.
Barcelona have had an excellent week with regard to transfers, having closed the signings of Raphinha, Ousmane Dembele and Robert Lewandowski. The Blaugrana have also begun working on a deal to sign Jules Kounde from Sevilla as they look to close their transfer business at the earliest possible.
While they have been strengthening the squad at the first-team level, Barcelona have not forgotten about the importance of youth recruitment and have roped in several exciting talents such as Pablo Torre and Emre Demir, among others.
And the opportunity to sign an exciting individual like Chukwuemeka is not lost on the Catalans. The 18-year-old is regarded as one of the hottest prospects in England and is coming on the back of a brilliant showing at the UEFA Under-19 European Championships this summer, which England won.
Naturally, Barcelona’s interest has been piqued, and they are considering signing Chukwuemeka. However, the report clarifies that the 18-year-old is not a priority for the Blaugrana at the moment as they are looking for players who can impact the first-team setup right away. Furthermore, given the interest being generated by the teenager, Barcelona have no intentions of entering a bidding war for him.
But if Chukwuemeka is available for a reasonable price, Barcelona would consider launching a move, with the club’s transfer advisor Jordi Cruyff already holding talks with Villa. The Premier League are reportedly demanding £20 million for the teenager, and it remains to be seen if Barcelona make any progress in negotiations.