Barcelona has recently been linked with several promising young players, aiming to gain an advantage over other major European clubs. However, agents often leverage competition to increase their clients’ value, leading Barcelona to face challenges in securing the signatures of top teenage talents, as is the situation with Juan Riquelme Angulo.
The Catalan club has recently been in discussions regarding Club Brugge winger Jesse Bisiwu but has thus far been unsuccessful in persuading the Belgian side to release one of their key talents. In January, Barcelona also brought in Patricio Pacifico, Juwensley Onstein, and Hamza Abdelkarim during the transfer window.
Manchester United Also Tracking Angulo
According to Diario AS, Barcelona is facing competition for the acquisition of Ecuadorian forward Angulo. The 18-year-old has represented Ecuador’s under-17 team six times, scoring one goal, and has already made 10 senior appearances for Independiente del Valle, a highly regarded academy in Latin America. In just 165 minutes of senior play, Angulo has netted twice.
In addition to Barcelona, Portuguese powerhouses Sporting CP, Benfica, and Porto are closely monitoring his development, as are Manchester United. This season, he has also received a call-up to the senior national team by Sebastian Beccacece.
Comparisons with Erling Haaland
Angulo’s physical presence has led to comparisons with Manchester City forward Erling Haaland. Despite his youth, he stands at an impressive 193cm (6 foot 3′) and possesses exceptional technical skill in front of goal, coupled with surprising speed for his stature.
Interestingly, Director of Football Deco has previously recruited a player with a similar physical profile in Abdelkarim from Egypt to bolster the youth ranks. Barcelona holds an option to purchase Abdelkarim at the end of the current season for approximately €3 million, potentially rising to €5 million.