Catalan giants Barcelona are reportedly tracking the progress of 16-year-old Argentine starlet Gianluca Prestianni, a target for Real Madrid.
According to RAC1 journalist Laia Coll, Gianluca Prestianni has emerged on the radar of Barcelona. The Argentine wonderkid has a release clause worth €15 million in his contract with Velez Sarsfield. The teenage prodigy is also a target for bitter rival Real Madrid.
Gianluca Prestianni is one of the most highly-rated young attackers in Argentina. The 16-year-old has been spending his formative years with Velez Sarsfield and has already broken into the first-team squad. But with the Argentine outfit in a precarious position in Liga Profesional, he has not been a regular starter.
Nonetheless, the young prodigy has already made six appearances for Velez Sarsfield, managing one assist. And as the teenage wonderkid continues to go from strength to strength, he has captured the attention of several European bigwigs. Barcelona and Real Madrid are two of his prospective suitors.
Barcelona signed Robert Lewandowski in the summer transfer window. But the veteran Polish striker is well into his thirties, meaning the Blaugrana will need a succession plan for him. In addition, Memphis Depay and Ferran Torres face uncertain futures at Spotify Camp Nou. Gianluca Prestianni is thus a viable target for Barcelona.
The Catalan giants have monitored his progress since Ramon Planes was at the club. In addition, Barcelona executives Mateu Alemany and Jordi Cruyff met the player’s agent in October. But Barcelona will need to fend off stiff competition from Real Madrid to sign the 16-year-old.
The reigning La Liga champions are renowned for raiding the South American market for the brightest young players. And Prestianni is the latest prodigy to emerge on Real Madrid’s radar. And the player’s meagre release clause, worth €15 million, makes him an appealing target for Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Apart from Real Madrid and Barcelona, Prestianni is also a target for Benfica. And with top target Endrick keen on joining Chelsea, the two Spanish giants might view the Argentine wonderkid as a viable option. The player has reportedly applied for an Italian passport, meaning he can join the first-team squads without grabbing a non-EU spot.
