Barcelona leading Real Madrid in race to sign 16-year-old Spanish defensive gem

VALENCIA, SPAIN - JANUARY 30: Real Madrid and FC Barcelona flags are seen during the La Liga Santander match between Valencia CF and Elche CF at Estadio Mestalla on January 30, 2021 in Valencia, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Spain remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors.

Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images

FC Barcelona are a dream destination for young talents around the world. The famed La Masia academy is consistently churning out top talents for the first team and in Hansi Flick, the club has a manager who placed immense trust in the academy.

La Masia is not just about homegrown talents. The academy also constantly purchases young talents from across Spain and elsewhere and gives them the chance to grow and develop and eventually find a place in the first team.

It looks like Barcelona are looking to sign yet another young talent, with Real Madrid also interested in the player. As per Fichajes, the Catalan club has leapfrogged Los Blancos to position themselves for the signature of David Cordon.

Nicknamed “Davinchi” in the football world, the talented left-back plays for Recreativo de Huelva and has made waves in the youth ranks of Spanish football. A left-back by trade, he has shown signs of becoming a huge talent for the future.

Huelva have a contract until 2027 with the player which should give them the platform to stay strong in negotiations. Barcelona, Real Madrid or any other European club for that matter will have to make a proper offer to convince Davinchi.

One thing that bodes well for Barcelona is their track record of developing young talent. Compared to Real Madrid, the Catalan club can show Davinchi a clear pathway to the first team and examples of players who have done so, so far.

The 16-year-old doesn’t need to look far for inspiration. Gerard Martin, who arrived from UE Cornellà, followed a similar pathway into Barcelona, with the player joining the club and now managing to make a mark with the first team under Hansi Flick.

It remains to be seen if Barcelona manage to acquire yet another young talent. Pipping Real Madrid to his signature will only make it that much more sweeter and let’s wait and see how this transfer pans out.