La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are reportedly interested in signing 18-year-old Brazilian defensive sensation Rafael Venancio from Corinthians.
According to a report by Spanish outlet SPORT, Rafael Venancio is the subject of interest from Barcelona. The Catalan giants are keen on signing a young defender in the summer transfer window. And they have set their sights on the 18-year-old Corinthians defensive sensation.
Who is Rafael Venancio?
Rafael Venancio is one of the best young prospects in his homeland. A left-footed centre-back, the teenage prospect has made his mark with his impeccable reading of the game and his no-nonsense style of defending. Meanwhile, he currently represents the under-20 team at Corinthians.
The 18-year-old has turned out six times thus far for the under-20 team at Corinthians, chipping in with one assist. Meanwhile, Venancio’s exploits and progress have not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs across Europe. And Barcelona might be one of his prospective suitors in the summer transfer window.
Barcelona interested
Barcelona’s financial struggles have forced the club to adopt clever methods to bolster the first-team squad. They have either invested in young prospects who do not cost a bomb (although a few have set them back by a lot) or signed veteran players who could become instant solutions in different areas of the pitch.
Such an outlook has meant players like Ilkay Gundogan, Robert Lewandowski, Pedri, and Mikayil Faye have joined Barcelona. Rafael Venancio has now emerged as a target for the the Blaugrana, with a summer move on the cards for the 18-year-old Brazilian defensive sensation.
The report does not provide much information about an impending bid to sign the Corinthians wonderkid in the summer transfer window. However, widespread reports have claimed that high-profile clubs like Chelsea, Manchester United, and Real Madrid are also interested in securing Rafael Venancio’s services.
With the Brazilian defensive sensation turning 18 in March, he can move to Europe in the summer transfer window. That makes him an interesting target for his prospective suitors. It will be interesting to see if Barcelona will launch the offensive to beat other European bigwigs to Rafael Venancio’s signature.
