Real Madrid and Barcelona will meet in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday night, but they’re also engaged in a battle off the pitch, as they’re trying to sign 16-year-old Velez winger Gianluca Prestianni.
Tha Blaugrana have been monitoring the teenager for some time, while he has been also placed on Real Madrid‘s radar.
Who is Gianluca Prestianni?
Real Madrid and Barcelona are now both keeping a close eye on Pestrianni, who at the age of 16 has already made his debut with Velez‘s first team.
Pestrianni‘s next challenge is to secure a regular spot in Velez‘s first team after becoming the third youngest player to make his debut in the Argentine top-flight after Diego Maradona and Sergio Aguero.
His pace and leadership on the pitch have helped him stand out, with the two LaLiga Santander giants monitoring his progress before making a final decision on whether they should make a move.
Real Madrid have been looking to the Brazilian market in recent years, but they are aware that Pestrianni will get an Italian passport in the summer, which means that he would not need to occupy a non-EU spot in the team.
Other Argentine talents to follow
There are several examples of European football powerhouses who have been monitoring prodigious Argentine players before making a move to lure them to the Old Continent.
Manchester City recently signed forward Julian Alvarez, while Benfica acquired the services of Enzo Fernandez. Both became World Cup winners with Argentina in Qatar.
Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola‘s team are now close to signing Maximo Perrone in exchange for 11 million euros.
Perrone was offered to Barcelona by Rolando Zarate at a lower price in the past, but the club refused to make a move.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid have targeted Velez defender Valentin Gomez and Barcelona have been following the progress of Boca Juniors midfielder Alan Varela.
