The addition of top talents to the ranks of FC Barcelona is a procedure that the Catalan club is no strangers to. Wanting to always be home to the most potent gems football has to offer, Blaugranes are in constant pursuit for the next diamond in the rough.
Snatching up talents such as Pablo Torre, Pedri, and even Ronald Araujo through means of careful scouting in the past, Barcelona now look to add a new name to that list of growing stars, and this particular name hails from South America.
For some time now, Barcelona have been rumored to be interested in the acquisition of Ecuadorian gem Oscar Zambrano, with the 19-year-old midfielder having highlighted himself through his performances in the Under-20 FIFA World Cup that took place this year.
However, according to Spanish outlet SPORT, Barcelona are set to now face competition from the likes of at least three major competitors, hailing from Portugal and the English Premier League for the young Ecuadorian.
It would be safe to say that it was not only Barcelona whose eyes he managed to catch, as Porto from Portugal are considered to be the strongest bidder at the moment, being willing to spend around €3 million on the young talent.
From the Premier League comes the interest of Crystal Palace and West Ham specifically. Their financial muscle is also something Barcelona will have to remain vigilant over.
Ecuador’s performances led them to reach the Round of 16 in the competition, where they would ultimately lose out to South Korea. The 19-year-old himself also hinted at the interest of FC Barcelona when addressing possible suitors, stating:
“My representative told me that there were polls from three countries and now they are analyzing it, especially La Liga,”
As it stands, the player seems well and truly on his way to making the jump to European football, but even he himself says that he wishes for it to come in due time, so that he can be prepared for the European challenges ahead. Here’s to hoping those challenges are faced at FC Barcelona.
