Every summer, it is not just the FC Barcelona first team that needs reinforcements to help. Even the club’s B team, Barça Atletic, is often in need of recruits to help elevate the overall level. After all, the products of the subsidiary may end up being beneficial to the first team of Barcelona itself.
Thus, the club often keeps notes of players who catch their eye and may be suitable recruits at Barcelona. However, even at this youth level, there is always competition present from other clubs who wish to secure said youngsters even if top teams like Barcelona are involved.
In the latest of such revelations, there is a dispute between Barcelona and rivals Espanyol for a certain 19-year-old defender at FE Grama. According to SPORT, both Barcelona and Espanyol are now set to fight for the signing of 19-year-old Marc Canteras, who is exploded with the FE Grama first team this season.
A player with exceptional ball-playing abilities and known for his positioning, Canteras is seen as the right profile to fit at Barcelona under Rafa Marquez. That is why, even when RCd Espanyol were closing in on the player, SPORT reveals that Barcelona decided to make a strong push at the end.
Since his involvement with the FE Grama first team, an involvement that includes 10 appearances and 8 starts, the team has seen their level improve. A part of the credit for that improvement goes directly to Canteras, whose talents have helped the team improve noticeably.
However, for Barcelona to possibly sign Canteras, they will first wait for the ongoing season to find its rightful conclusion. Currently fighting for promotion in their ongoing play-offs, Rafa Marquez and Barcelona Atletic hope to make sure that they get promoted this season.
Ensuring promotion is crucial for them, as it would not just guarantee higher competition next season, but possibly help retain a lot of players and even Marquez himself, as well as make the option of Barça B more attractive to interested arrivals.
Even Canteras, for example, may find the option of joining a promoted Barcelona Atletic side more attractive than other options on the table. Thus, a careful eye must be kept on not just the talented defender, but also on the Barcelona reserve team to achieve their objective.
