After Ferran Torres, Barcelona Close To Signing Teenage Winger Who Rejected Real Madrid: Report

FC Barcelona are reportedly close to making their second signing in the winter market after Manchester City's Ferran Torres.

Barcelona are set to sign 17-year-old winger Fabio Blanco from Eintracht Frankfurt during the January transfer window, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano. However, International Business Times could not verify it independently.

Barcelona have been monitoring Blanco for a long time. The Catalans even made a move to sign the teenage winger last summer but failed to make any progress, according to Spanish publication Diario Sport. The report has even claimed that Real Madrid were also interested in landing Blanco, who was set to leave Valencia.

While Real Madrid's interest in Blanco has ended, Barcelona are still determined to secure the teenage player's services. Jose Ramon Alexanco, the director of Barcelona's academy, signed Blanco for Valencia, and he is now set to bring the 17-year-old to the Catalan club.

Blanco started his professional career in 2019 and rose through the ranks of La Liga club Valencia. After playing for the club's Under-18 and 19s, Blanco ran out of a contract and instead of signing an extension, he chose to look for a new opportunity to earn regular game-time at the first-team level.

Blanco moved to Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer of 2021. However, after being restricted to the Under-19 side, the winger has decided to switch clubs once again.

Barcelona are believed to have offered Blanco a contract until 2024. The Spanish winger has come across Catalans' youth players such as Gavi during his stints with Spain's youth teams. Blanco has so far represented Spain's Under-15, 16 and 18 teams.

Even at Camp Nou, Blanco will join up with Sergi Barjuan's Barcelona B team. However, he will still have hope of playing first-team soccer, considering teenage players Gavi, Pedri, Ansu Fati and Nico Gonzalez's promotion to Barca's senior side. In addition, Ousmane Dembele's fitness issues are well documented that could hand Blanco his senior debut in the near future.

Barcelona are having a tough season as they are placed seventh in the 2021-22 La Liga table, 18 points behind leaders Real Madrid. Since the Catalans have already crashed out of the UEFA Champions League, they have to finish in the top four to play the top European competition next season.