Manchester City are reportedly leading the race to sign 19-year-old Argentine full-back Valentin Barco from Boca Juniors.
According to Julio Pavoni, Manchester City are keen on having Valentin Barco in their ranks. The 19-year-old teenage sensation has gone from strength to strength of late, and there is a lot of interest in his services.
Barco has been a part of the Boca Juniors setup since his childhood days. He has come up the ranks at the club and was recently promoted to their first team. The Argentine full-back has featured in a total of 20 matches for the first team and has also been involved in three goals.
While he prefers to play as a left-back, the 19-year-old is capable enough to feature anywhere on the left flank. His contract runs until the end of 2024, but there is a real possibility of him leaving the club early given the amount of interest in his services.
His impressive performances for the club as well as the Argentina Under-20 setup have attracted the attention of multiple top clubs from across Europe. Brighton & Hove Albion were one of the clubs that made moves to sign him but unfortunately, they couldn’t strike a deal with Boca Juniors.
The Seagulls had placed a bid below his release clause. But, it was rejected by the Argentine club. While Brighton still remain interested in his services, they are behind Manchester City in the race for his services. City have been tracking him for over a year now and have started making moves of late.
Pep Guardiola’s team are always on the lookout for young talented players who can help them in the long run. And, the 19-year-old full-back seems to be a great fit for the club. As a result, they are ready to trigger his release. And with Joao Cancelo closing in on joining Barcelona, Barco can be a long-term replacement.
While Manchester City are ready to complete his acquisition in the ongoing transfer window, Boca Juniors want him to continue at the club until the end of the year. Even the player wants to stay in Argentina and play in the cup competition. As a result, the Argentine club are trying to negotiate a way where the player can stay at the club until December and then join the English club.
