Barcelona hopeful of getting bargain deal for Boca Juniors teenager
Barcelona are hoping to poach promising defender Santiago Ramos Mingo off Boca Juniors before he’s signed a professional deal, say reports.
The centre-back turns 18 next month, at which point he will be free to make a switch to a European club should he want to.
Argentinian outlet TvC Sports reports that Barcelona are monitoring the centre-back’s development and plan to bring him in on a cut-price deal.
Ramos Mingo is yet to make a senior appearance or sign professional terms with the Buenos Aires giants.
It is claimed that the defender’s family were approached directly by Barca representatives, with head of youth development Jose Maria Bakero thought to be masterminding the Catalan club’s move.
The teenager went on tour with the senior Boca squad in pre-season and featured in a friendly against Chivas, while he was named on the bench for their Copa Libertadores last 16 clash with Athletico Paranaense.
Barcelona are currently on a seven-match winning run in all competitions and sit on top of the La Liga table, one point ahead of Real Madrid.
Ernesto Valverde’s side travel to Levante on league duty this Saturday before hosting Slavia Prague in the Champions League the following week.
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Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio.