The FC Barcelona youth academy, La Masia, and Barcelona Atlètic have developed a number of highly talented youngsters in the last few years. While traditionally, the club’s academy has been known for producing top-quality midfielders, the current batch boasts a number of highly rated forwards.
One such highly-rated attacker that is currently generating attention from the coaches at FC Barcelona is Estanis Pedrola. The 19-year-old has shown arguably the highest level of growth this season, that too in spite of a lower back injury that kept him out of action for almost the entire first half of the season.
However, since his return from injury, Pedrola has truly burst onto the scene. He has already scored 8 goals in 17 matches and has become one of the most crucial cogs in Rafa Marquez’s Barce B team. He also has already made a debut with FC Barcelona’s first team, when Xavi put him on the pitch in the La Liga match against Mallorca.
His scoring run and form have also generated the interest of clubs across Europe. According to a recent report from Mundo Deportivo, the club that has shown the greatest interest in the Spanish youngster is the Italian club Lecce, where another Barcelona player, Samuel Umtiti, is already on loan.
U.S. Lecce are aiming to strengthen their attack for the next season in order to put up a better fight in Serie A. Currently, the team is fighting relegation, and their latest win against Udinese put them 5 points clear of Hellas Verona, who are the top team in the Serie A relegation zone.
Another club that is closely following Pedrola is the Spanish side Osasuna. Osasuna also have an FC Barcelona player in their ranks, as Abde is showcasing his skills there on loan. However, Lecce remains in the leading position for the attacker and can get him either on a loan or on a permanent transfer.