Ivan Fresneda of Real Valladolid has been under observation by Barcelona as a potential candidate to bolster the position this summer.
Reports, however, had indicated that the adolescent might be moving to Borussia Dortmund, whose negotiations with his club were moving forward.
However, Dortmund’s interest in Fresneda has since subsided, according to a report from the German publication Ruhr Nachrichten, placing Barcelona in the lead to sign the Spanish prospect.
Fresneda had a strong La Liga debut season with Real Valladolid, which is why teams are interested in signing him even though his team was ultimately relegated.
Although he is still a bit inexperienced at age 18, the youngster has a lot of potential, which has Barcelona taking notice.
Fresneda’s contract contains a €20 million release clause, but he may be available this summer for only €15 million, which is another aspect that appeals to Barcelona.
The teen prospect might be willing to wait for an approach, but only for a short period of time, because the possibility of playing for the La Liga champions also appeals to him.
Borussia Dortmund has since withdrawn from the race, giving Barça the advantage in the hunt for Fresneda.
The Blaugrana are currently having difficulty raising money, so before they can think about adding any more players, they must make some significant sales.
Additionally, the right-back position is not currently seen as being as important as the signings of Marcelo Brozovic and Vitor Roque.
It will be interesting to see how Barcelona’s pursuit of Fresneda plays out and whether the reigning La Liga champions actually manage to sign him this summer.
