Barcelona will reportedly compete with Real Madrid for the signature of 18-year-old Spanish wonderkid Ivan Fresneda this year.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Ivan Fresneda is the subject of interest from FC Barcelona. The 18-year-old Real Valladolid wonderkid is also a target for La Liga champions Real Madrid.
Ivan Fresneda is a former trainee of Real Madrid’s La Fabrica youth division. The teenage prodigy rose passed through the academies at CF Quijorna, EFMO Boadilla, Real Madrid, and CD Leganes before joining Real Valladolid. And the Spaniard has gone from strength to strength during his stint with the Albivioletas.
The 18-year-old is now a regular for the Real Valladolid first team despite still being in his teens. And Fresneda has turned out eight times thus far in the 2022/23 season. The Spanish wonderkid has also captured the attention of several European bigwigs, including Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Real Madrid will need to lay down a succession plan for Dani Carvajal in the coming years. The veteran Spaniard has been the first-choice right-back at the Santiago Bernabeu for nearly a decade. But his performance levels have dipped in the last few years due to recent fitness issues. And Fresneda has emerged as a viable target for Real Madrid.
The 18-year-old Spanish wonderkid can initially learn the ropes from Carvajal before taking over from his more experienced compatriot. But Real Madrid will face stiff competition from bitter rival Barcelona in the race to sign Fresneda this year.
The Catalan giants have struggled to fill the void left by the departure of Dani Alves several years ago. Since then, the Brazilian full-back returned to Spotify Camp Nou and was arguably the best right-back since his first spell with Barcelona. So it is clear that Barcelona will need to bring in a player who can finally be the heir to Alves at Camp Nou. And Fresneda seems worth pursuing.
Meanwhile, the 18-year-old Spanish wonderkid is a target for several Premier League clubs. Recent reports have pointed to Newcastle United opening talks to sign the Valladolid right-back. And it will be interesting to see if Barcelona and Real Madrid make their moves to prise Fresneda from the Jose Zorrilla Stadium.
