FC Barcelona have their eyes on the future and have two young Portuguese talents on their radar who could join the team in 2024. According to a report from Spanish media SPORT, Joao Neves and Dario Essugo are the focus of interest for Barcelona, who are looking to strengthen their midfield with young and promising talent.
Tavira-born Joao Neves began his youth career at CB Tavira before moving to Benfica in 2016. Since then, he has enjoyed a rapid rise at the club and made his first-team debut in December 2022. Despite his youth, he has already played in four league games this season and provided one assist.
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Dario Essugo, on the other hand, has been in the ranks of Sporting CP for almost a decade, joining the club in 2014. At 18, he became the youngest debutant in Sporting’s history in March 2021 and has since made 12 further appearances for the first team.
The meteoric rise of Neves and Essugo has not gone unnoticed, with several high-profile clubs showing interest in them. Joao Neves has even been linked with Manchester United, but now Barcelona are interested in signing these talented Portuguese midfielders.
Barcelona have already strengthened their midfield in the summer transfer window with new signings such as Oriol Romeu and Ilkay Gündogan, but both players are at the end of their careers and offer short-term solutions. The club is therefore committed to investing in young talent for the future.
Among the names that have emerged as possible targets for Barcelona is Florentino Luis, but Joao Neves and Dario Essugo are also possible options. Both players are at the start of their promising careers and could learn from experienced players such as Gündogan and Romeu before taking on a more prominent role in the team.
In addition to Neves and Essugo, Barcelona also have Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Josuha Guilavogui on their radar, reflecting their determination to further strengthen their midfield in 2024. The competition for these young Portuguese talents is likely to be intense, and culés fans will be eager to see how this talent search unfolds in the next transfer market.
