[ad_1]
BARCELONA is a club in transition and 18-year-old Spanish king Pedri could be the man to lead a new generation at Camp Nou.
The cash-strapped Catalan giants are cutting costs by all possible means and the emergence of young talents, such as Pedri, saves the Blaugrana a fortune in the transfers of experienced professionals.
10
10
And the young man’s outrageous shoe, to aid Lionel Messi’s record-breaking 644 goal in a 3-0 win over Real Valladolid, gave fans a hint of what is to come.
As the 33-year-old Messi celebrated the goal that took him past Pelé’s record for most scored at a single club with his younger colleague, onlookers could feel a virtual pass from the witness.
The Argentine superstar seemed confident about leaving the club last summer and his future remains unclear with his contract at the end of the season.
And many believe that Pedri is the player who will power Barcelona in the post-Messi era.
After the game, defender Clement Lenglet said: “Pedri does not have the physique of a high-level athlete, so he plays with his head.”
Reminds you of someone?
Despite having grown up on the island of Tenerife, Pedri and his family have always been Barça fans.
Pedri could have ended up playing Messi at El Clásico while playing rival Real Madrid at 15, only for Los Blancos to let him get away.
Instead, he accepted an offer from Las Palmas, which plays on the neighboring island of Gran Canaria, and thrived on the team’s fluid style of play, debuting at just 16 years old.
10
10
10
The current Barça soccer director, Ramon Planes, received advice from his friend and Las Palmas soccer director, Rocco Maiorino, alerting him to the player’s undoubted talent.
And Barça did not stop there, hiring the player with a deal to be negotiated in September 2019.
When he set foot in Catalonia in July 2020, he had played the most minutes for second-division Las Palmas in the 2019-20 season.
The club beat the rest of the best teams in the world until they were signed after starting negotiations when they attracted attention with Spain at the 2019 U-17 World Cup.
Humble and unpretentious, by all accounts, Pedri was an instant hit in Barcelona.
10
10
10
A canny investment in the region of just £ 4.5 million will become one of the great bargains in Spanish football.
After graduating from the first team this season, playing 14 times in LaLiga with one goal and one assist, Pedri’s release clause has skyrocketed to £ 360 million. But it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
The Spanish press was quick to fan the flames of adulation for a player considered by many to be Barcelona’s ‘savior’ amid a turbulent campaign hit by financial problems and poor form: he is fifth in the league and must overtake PSG in Europe to progress.
Pedri’s tender age became apparent when paparazzi photos of the star taken home in a taxi, not yet passing his driving test, after making his Champions League debut went viral.
His shares have risen so much that now the club offers him the luxury of being a driver.
Ronald Koeman and Messi are said to be big fans of the talented but down-to-earth star who has appeared in three midfield positions behind the Dutch manager’s striker.
Small in stature, the club used the lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic to try to help it grow, but its reputation needs no such improvement.
10
10
[ad_2]
