Barcelona are set to lose one of the best players in their academy as Bayern Leverkusen closes in on a deal to sign 16-year-old defender Andrea Natali.
Natali has been tagged the brightest defender in Barcelona’s La Masia academy but he won’t be making it to the first team unlike Gavi, Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal.
The 16-year-old central defender, who joined La Masia in 2021, is out of contract later this month, and according to transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, he is close to signing for Bayer Leverkusen.
Leverkusen who won the 2023/24 Bundesliga title are prepared to pay €1m in compensation to ensure that a deal is completed smoothly.
Bayer Leverkusen are closing in on deal to sign Italian talented defender Andrea Natali from Barça.
Barça offered new deal but Bayer are pushing, it’s expected to be done and signed soon.
Natali won Euro U17 with Italy, Leverkusen are prepared to pay €1m compensation.
Andrea Natali of Italy during the winners’ shoot after the UEFA European Under-17 Championship 2023/2024 Final match between Italy and Portugal. (Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach – Sportsfile/UEFA via Getty Images)
Barcelona are currently going through financial crisis and needs to sell some players before new names can be brought to the club.
Despite losing Natali for a cheap price, Barcelona can be reassured by the amount of talent they already have in the centre-back department. Alongside the likes of Pau Cubarsi and Mikayil Faye, who are already in first team reckoning, they have plenty of prospect in La Masia that can be looked to.
