La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are reportedly tracking the progress of 22-year-old Spanish centre-back Jorge Cuenca at Villarreal.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Jorge Cuenca has popped up on the radar of FC Barcelona. Jordi Cruyff, the Catalan club’s sporting director, watched the 22-year-old centre-back in action for La Liga club Villarreal in the game against Espanyol this week.
Jorge Cuenca has been a journeyman in his short professional career thus far. The Spanish centre-back graduated from the AD Alcorcon academy half a decade ago. And since then, he has played for four clubs, including Barcelona, for whom he managed only one first-team appearance.
The 22-year-old joined Villarreal from Barcelona in September 2020 but spent the last two seasons on loan at Almeria and Getafe. Cuenca has finally established a foothold at Estadio de la Ceramica this term, turning out ten times for the Yellow Submarine. And the youngster made his first La Liga start for Villarreal earlier this week against Espanyol.
The Spaniard might be in line to become the undisputed first-choice centre-back for Villarreal in the coming year amid Pau Torres’s links with several Premier League clubs. But Cuenca’s progress has not gone unnoticed either, with Barcelona keeping tabs on him.
The Catalan giants have seen Gerard Pique call time on his illustrious career. So Barcelona will have to delve into the market for a long-term successor in the January transfer window. Alternatively, the Blaugrana might sign a short-term cover amid links with Inigo Martinez. But Cuenca is also an option worth considering.
The 22-year-old has his best years ahead of him and can offer the coming decade to Barcelona. But letting him progress at Villarreal for a few years before eventually replacing Inigo Martinez with him might be the way forward for Barcelona. So while Jordi Alba scouted Cuenca this week, it is unclear if the Catalan outfit will launch the offensive for him soon.
Meanwhile, Cruyff also ran the rule over Juan Foyth. The Argentine international recently popped up on Barcelona’s radar again, and the Blaugrana might look at him to bolster the right-back slot. It will be interesting to see if the two Villarreal defenders move across La Liga to join Barcelona.
