FC Barcelona Set To Beat Real Madrid And Sign ‘Uruguayan Mbappe’

FC Barcelona are tipped to beat Real Madrid to the signing of a player described as the ‘Uruguayan Mbappe’ in Luciano Rodriguez according to El Nacional.

Like Brazil’s Vitor Roque, and teammate Fabricio Diaz, striker Rodriguez rose to the attention of big European outfits with his performances at the South American U20 Championships in Colombia that were held from mid-January to mid-February.

Reports link Barca with a deal ranging between €35-40 million ($38-43.3 million) for Roque, which will be hard to pull of during times when they need to shed €200 million ($216 million) from the wage bill in order to balance Financial Fair Play Limits.

Instead, however, Luciano Rodriguez could provide a much cheaper alternative at around €15 million ($16.2 million) and El Nacional expect Barca to beat Real Madrid to the youngster who should shine at the U20 World Cup that kicked off in Indonesia this weekend.

Even ahead of Uruguay getting their campaign underway against Iraq on Monday, Rodriguez has already earned plaudits from the likes of former Barca legend and compatriot Luis Suarez who called him “crazy”, “impressive” a “crack” and “top” on Instagram.

The 19-year-old who turns 20 in July began his career at Progreso before joining Liverpool Montevideo last December.

Yet the team from the capital might not keep him for long, with Barca having already registered an offer for him according to El Nacional and Liverpool’s president talking his charge up to the media.

“We paid $500,000 to Progreso for 80% of the transfer and we have already received offers. So far we have valued him at 15 million,” said Jose Luis Palma recently.

“He’s a complete player. He scores, assists, is good physically, has class, a winning character, he’s good one-on-one… He’s the Uruguayan Mbappé,” Palma added.

Though Real Madrid have had the last laugh in recent years by getting Champions League-winning Brazilian sensations Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo to sign for them before 18, turning Rodriguez’s head away from the Bernabeu would be a major coup for Barca president Joan Laporta.

If signed, Rodriquez would be gradually bedded into Xavi Hernandez’s first team and, progress permitting, be the heir to aging striker Robert Lewandowski.