FC Barcelona are turning out to be the place to be for young talents with the first team providing a platform for youngsters to break through and perform. While many of them have come through La Masia, the likes of Pedri, Pau Victor, and Pablo Torre have shown that the club is willing to trust youngsters they sign too.
Constantly on the lookout for top talents to bolster their squad, Barcelona have stumbled upon Brazilian center-back Vitor Reis, born in 2006, who has drawn comparisons to PSG legend Marquinhos and Real Madrid star Eder Militao. Reis currently plays for Palmeiras and is regarded as a promising defensive prospect.
At just 18 years old, he has caught the attention of top clubs around Europe. As per Mario Cortegana and James McNicholas of the Athletic, Barcelona face stiff competition from Real Madrid for the signature of the talented center-back.
It is not just the El Clasico rivals who are interested in the teenager. Premier League giants Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea have also expressed interest in signing Reis. Thus, this could come down to a battle between top European clubs for his signature.
It is worth noting that Reis has been capped 13 times by Brazil at the youth level and he has been captain on all occasions. It is a clear sign that he has always been tipped for superstardom and that he is a natural leader in the backline.
The report adds that Reis has a €100m release clause in his current contract with the Brazilian club who have no intention of letting him go before the 2025 Club World Cup. Thus, next summer would be the first chance for clubs to make an approach to sign him, although not for that fee.
There is no doubt that Barcelona will want to add such a player to the squad should the chance arise. However, if this comes down to a battle of who can pay the most money, the club could end up losing out to the likes of Real Madrid and Chelsea.
The club is blessed with a number of young center-back talents and adding the €10m-rated Brazilian gem to the ranks would be incredible. Only time will tell if that is indeed possible and let’s wait and see how it goes.