La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are reportedly closely monitoring the progress of 18-year-old Brazilian centre-back Kaiky Fernandez at Almeria.
According to a report by Spanish publication SPORT, Kaiky is the subject of interest from Barcelona. The Catalan giants continue to track the progress of the 18-year-old Brazilian centre-back at fellow La Liga club Almeria.
Kaiky Fernandez spent most of his formative years in his homeland before graduating from the Santos academy. The teenage prodigy did well to establish a foothold at Santos in the past year. But once he turned 18, it did not come as a surprise that he moved to Europe this past summer by joining Almeria.
The Brazilian centre-back has featured regularly for Santos in the ongoing season, turning out eight times thus far in La Liga. And the player’s progress is not going unnoticed, with several clubs keeping tabs on him. And Kaiky also remains on the radar of Barcelona, who once had the first refusal on him before he joined Almeria.
The Catalan giants have been keeping tabs on the 18-year-old Brazilian centre-back for a long time. And the continued interest in Kaiky is understandable in the aftermath of Gerard Pique’s retirement. The veteran centre-back has hung up his boots midway through the season to help Barcelona, even foregoing his wages.
The Blaugrana will likely enter the market for a centre-back in the January transfer window to fill Pique’s void. Inigo Martinez has thus emerged as a viable target for Barcelona. And recent reports have claimed that the veteran Spanish defender is on the verge of joining Barcelona this coming winter.
On the other hand, Kaiky will be a long-term addition if he joins Barcelona. But the Catalan giants might have to bide their time and continue monitoring his progress at fellow La Liga club Almeria in the coming months. But Barcelona might have a window of opportunity if the Rojiblancos get relegated from La Liga.
Kaiky will benefit from remaining at Almeria for a season or two as he will be able to progress rapidly. And if Inigo Martinez joins the Blaugrana, he will only be a short-term solution. So Barcelona can pursue the 18-year-old Brazilian centre-back in a few years when they phase out Martinez.
