How the 2013 Neymar deal could lead FC Barcelona to sign two of 2022’s best youngsters
By Jim James
While FC Barcelona have produced a very impressive group of youngsters in the last few years, there has been a noticeable lack of Brazilians. Their best Brazilian youngsters are Barca B players Lucas de Vega and Igor Silva, two twenty year olds who don’t appear to be future stars for Barca. With a club famous for players like Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Dani Alves, and Neymar, that front is pretty grim.
However, the transfer of the latter to Barca in 2013 from Santos is the reason that FC Barcelona look like they could sign two of the hottest prospects in Brazilian Football. Let me explain.
When FC Barcelona signed Neymar Jr. in 2013, a Ronaldinho type player who in 2013 was contested between Barca, Real Madrid, Chelsea and West Ham, FC Barcelona included a clause in the deal that is very rare in transfers. Barca had a say in the transfers of any three Santos players they wanted. In 2016, they used it on the first player from the three. Gabriel Barbosa.
I know what you’re thinking. Jim, why are you saying Gabriel Barbosa and not Gabigol? Just kidding. What you’re really thinking is Jim, but Gabigol never played for Barcelona. I know. But Barca put in a bid for him, and per the terms of the deal, Santos had to consider or at least counter. However, without a word back to the Catalans, they sold him to Inter for 17 million. This very much surprised Barca. As a result of the deal, Barca lodged a complaint to FIFA against Santos that they violated the terms of the deal.
Recently, a resolution was found. FIFA said that Santos had to pay Barca 3 million Euros, however, as Santos are in deep debt, they proposed a deal that would see Barca get 17 year old Forward Angelo Gabriel and 18 year old Defender Kaiky for an undisclosed fixed price that Santos would have to accept if Barca bid it.
Angelo Gabriel is a 17 year old who has been tearing it up in the underage level, and is bound to get some regular game time in the 2022 Brazilian Serie A season, while Kaiky already is a back line regular for the 3 time Libertadores winners.
The agreement could be classified as a release clause specific for one club. The youngsters aren’t going to Barca right now, but should Barca go after them, they’d have an upper hand against any other European Giant looking to sign them. I’m Jim James, Until Next Time.