Celtic, Wolves or Newcastle United would be signing a ‘great player’ in Boca Juniors starlet Valentin Barco with Liverpool and Premier League ace Alexis Mac Allister a big fan.
The 19-year-old left-back has been one of the revelations of South American football over the last few months. Clubs ranging from Real Madrid to Celtic, Manchester City to Nottingham Forest, Barcelona to Wolves and Newcastle United all keeping a very close eye on his seemingly endless progress (90Min).
Where Valentin Barco ends up, therefore, is anybody’s guess.
A £10 million release clause in his Boca Juniors contract would be small fry for Newcastle, Man City and Real Madrid. Do not discount a club-record switch to Glasgow either, Celtic a club with plenty of cash still in the bank following the mega-money sale of Jota to Saudi Arabia.
Whichever club wins the race for Barco’s signature, they will be getting their mitts on a ‘great player’. One almost impossible to knock off the ball despite his diminutive, 5ft 8ins frame.
Celtic, Wolves and Newcastle in Valentin Barco race
“I had the chance to watch him. I don’t reveal anything new when I say that he is a great player. Barco can represent us (Argentines) very well in Europe,” Mac Allister, Liverpool’s £35 million World Cup winner, tells DSports Radio.
“May he continue in the same way. He has a lot of qualities. When it seems like the opposition are going to get the ball, they can’t.
“He has been doing very well. I see him as a very focused boy, beyond the fact that he brings some extra quality onto the pitch.”
Reports of Celtic’s interest will raise questions about the future of another young, Argentine left-back. Alexandro Bernabei has played only 31 minutes of football in the Scottish Premiership under Brendan Rodgers.
‘Manchester City will surely sign him’
Man City legend Sergio Aguero, meanwhile, expects his former employers to win the race. Barco ending up at the Etihad would be far from a disaster for Celtic, however, the Scottish champions signing many a talented youngster on loan from City over the years.
“(Barco) plays well. Very good player,” Aguero says on his Twitch channel. “Is he going to stay a little longer in Boca or not? I don’t think he will stay for a long time. He is very good.
“City will surely sign him.”
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